Joyce Lewis Slavery

The writings by J. Vance Lewis show the ability of one individual who was able to overcome not only life and its challenges as a slave, but to persevere in the daily obstacles thrown at him to eventually better himself. Joseph Vance Lewis, as a slave, grew up in Louisiana on a plantation where life there was the only thing many knew. So when the freedom associated with the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, allowed many slaves the ability to better their lives, they were unable to , as society had set them up to know only how to do things on the plantations and not in rest of the civilized world. The life, as Lewis knew growing up was full of “butterflies and mockingbirds where the skies were never cloudy. While those around him much older,

The slaves and Lewis on the plantation were notified by Mr. Cage that they were “Now you are free to go anywhere you please. I shall not drive any one away. I shall need somebody to do my work still and every one of you who wants a job shall have employment. You may remain right here on the farm. You will be treated as hired servants. You will be paid for what you do and you will have to pay for what you get.” This gave some of them the start they needed to become “humans” in society and live a new life. For slaves prior to the Emancipation, there was never any hope of such freedoms or even options to improve themselves as individuals or as a community. Many rules and laws during this time did not provide and benefits to slave as English common law did not cover them and gave their owners great control over their labor force. They were not allowed to carry or own firearms, a child’s freedom was based on their mothers status to determine them being free or spending their lives as

Many groups and individuals were able to preserver and become outstanding members of society despite these attacks. The unfree slaves lives were still kept in check and gave little opportunity for escape from their farms or plantations and for those who escaped; they were either caught and beaten or faced death. Even if they were able to successfully escape they lived in a constant fear of being caught, which could lead to a return to their farm or being resold again. In the end, life was difficult for those free and unfree in society, the rules may have been adjusted, but never full changed to embrace the newer members to society and its classes; this eventually would set the tone and establish the groundwork for the growth of racism that would and has plagued this nation and others for many years. The Out of Ditch experience was for those who despite the conditions and challenges of the times were able to lift themselves out of the ditch of life that was lacking freedoms and be able to pursue life, as it should be equally for