Broncos' \6ice ^
March 1997 /
Kamilah’s
Journey: Part III
by Kimberly Smith
As the sun began to rise,
the ship pulled in the dock
of Sullivan’s Island, S.C.
Here I was again in another
strange land in which I had
to become accustomed to.
The slave traders separated
all of the women from the
men. We were taken to a
place where they prepared
the slaves for auction. They
bathed and fed us and even
put fresh straw on the floor
in the stalls.
At the auction they sold
the male slaves first. Right
before my very eyes, Jesse,
my future husband, was sold
to a slave owner from Charles
ton, S. C. How I hoped and
prayed that the same man
would by me. But to my dis
may he left with his newly
bought slaves before my group
mounted the auction stand. A
slave owner from Orange
County, North Carolina bought
me. And so we journeyed to
our new home by foot.
After being on the planta
tion for over a year, I married
a man named Nate. Nate was
a strong healthy dark-skinned
man who had taught himself to
read and write. He was a
preacher. We had six children,
four boys, and two girls.
Being that I was the
mother and the central figure
of the household, it was my re
sponsibility to transmit values,
beliefs and feelings to my chil
dren. I taught them how to
care for themselves and their
younger brothers and sisters.
They learned how to feed,
watch over, amuse the infants
of the families, how to wash
clothes in the wash house or
in a nearby stream and how to
comb black hair. I taught my
sons and daughters how to
cook. They knew how to grind
corn into meal, make coffee
from parched potato peelings
and obtain baking powder
from red corn cobs. Not once
did I raise my hand to hit my
children, for I felt that if you
teach your children to respect
their elders and who has the
last word in arguments, there
was no need for corporal pun
ishment.
Nate taught
our children how
make baskets of
wooden splits,
brooms from
young trees, _____
maths from
swamp rushes, horse collars of
com shucks, hats of straw and
how to fix a gourd for drink
ing. Nate and the children re
ally fixed up our slave cabin
with its one window and fire
place. They made beds, chairs,
tables, and cabinets.
Nate, being that he was a
preacher, was one of the com
munity leaders. Since he was
a community leader he, along
with the other leaders de
cided when it was, time to
petition the great house, take
Being that I was the mother and the
central figure of the household, it was
my responsibility to transmit values,
beliefs and feelings to my children.
action against the cruel mas
ter or overseer, organize a
work slowdown, discipline a
straying community mem
ber and settle disputes and
domestic problems within
the slave community.
Even though I was
happy with my new children
and husband, I still longed
for my African Life.
FSU’s Botanical
Preserve Needs
YOU!
by Amy R. Morton and Linda
Douglas
If you are curious about
nature and enjoy being out
doors, then come and enjoy
FSU’s own Botanical Pre
serve.
The preserve consists of 7
hectares or 17.5 acres. This
land has been maintained to
represent five different habi
tats including Mountain, Sa
vannah, Hardwood Forest,
Sandhills, and the Natural
habitats. The botanical pre
serve contains more than 380
different species of plants and
trees. Seventy-one of those
species have been introduced
by faculty and student volun
teers and are native to eastern
North America. An abundance
of animal life can also be found
in the preserve.
A small group of volun
teers is trying to sustain the
preserve for the benefit of ev
ery FSU student, and we need
your help. All you need is an
interest in learning about na
ture and a little spare time to
volunteer. You could plant
trees, maintain trails, or even
“A small group of volunteers is
trying to sustain the preserve for
the benefit of every FSU student,
and we need your help”.
plantlife in order to provide a
true representation of south
eastern habitats.
One of the best things
about volunteering in
the preserve is that you
can set your own sched
ule; any time that you
can contribute is well
appreciated. Plus, it
provides you with valu
able experience in re
search techniques, in
volving a unique educa
tional re
source. We
are among
those who
are fortunate
to have a bo-
and students.
So what are you waiting
for? Come join the volunteers
and give back to Mother Na
ture. For more information
please contact Dr. Hudson in
room 228 of the Lyons Science
building.
become a trail guide. As an
example, a current project in
cludes removal of exotic
' ' tanical pre
serve on campus and
recognizing this asset
benefits both faculty
EVERYTHING’S
ON SALE
Courtesy of Emerge March
1997
' When the Wal-Mart in
Fayetteville, N.C., advertised
its “Everyday Low Prices,”
Felicia Gray-Watson never
imagined they were referring
to their “slave inventory.”
When she mentioned that she
may need to resign after 18
months because of personal
reasons, the part-time cashier
“the part-time cashier says an
assistant manager told her:
“Slaves can*t quit. They have
to be sold. ”
says an assistant manager told
her: “Slaves can’t quit. They
have to be sold.”
Pharmacy manager, Eddie
Cash laughed and enjoyed the
comment so much that he
called Wanda Crocker, an as
sistant pharmacy manager at
the retail chain’s Raleigh store,
and repeated it. A Wal-Mart
official took a complaint
from Gray-Watson, and
within 48 hours, disci
plinary action was taken
against the employees.
Gray-Watson has taken
her own action: She
filed a $6 million law
suit.
Wi
HE ABILITY TO STOP
CHILD ABUSE
IS FINALLY WITHIN OUR REACH.
Until now, there was little you could do to
actually stop child abuse. But now there’s
an innovative new program that can actually
help stop abuse before it starts. It’s already
producing unprecedented results. But we need
your help. Call 1-800-C H I L D R E N today.
THE MORE YOU HELP
THE LESS THEY HURT.
1-800-CHILD R;
National Committee to Prevent