How Obama Can 'Greatly Admire' George Washington and Call Him a 'Slaveholder,' Explained
White people are furious that Barack Obama called George Washington a slave owner. Others are mad at the first Black president for saying he "admired" the first white president.
Harry didn’t know a lot about white people.
Born in current-day Gambia around 1740, he lost his birth name when he was sold as a war captive to human traffickers. He still didn’t have a last name when he was purchased by an American real estate investor who needed bodies to literally drain a swamp. When that startup failed, FirstNameHarry was transported back to the 8,000-acre estate of his white enslaver. As one of more than 300 people enslaved at a forced labor camp about half as large as Washington, D.C., the surnameless servant still didn’t get the opportunity to learn much about white people.
But Harry knew freedom.
The enslaved people who worked alongside him were constantly emancipating themselves, so naturally, Harry shot his shot. On June 10, 1771, Mr. NoLastName’s enslaver paid a slave catcher the equivalent of $528 in today’s money to “recover” Harry, who had fled to New York. But Harry didn’t stop trying to get free.
Four years later, when Virginia’s Royal Governor Lord Dunmore offered to formally emancipate “Negroes” willing to bear arms for the British crown against the insurrectionists who had declared their independence, Harry disappeared again and joined Lord Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment. Later serving with the Black Pioneers, Harry was one of 3,000 Black Loyalists who were evacuated to Nova Scotia after the Revolutionary War.
After immigrating to Sierra Leone, Harry led a revolt against the British for taxation without representation. He was one of two leaders who were banished from the settlement for writing their own declaration of independence.
Harry Washington adopted George Washington’s last name after he freed himself. Harry left America before July 4, 1776, so Washington was not the name of a president. As a Loyalist soldier, Harry never served under “General Washington.” In fact, Harry had never met anyone named “Washington” who fought for his liberty or his independence. Even though Harry Washington didn’t know a lot about white people, his last name explains everything he knew about America’s first president and the “Father of Our Country.”
George Washington was Harry’s enslaver.
This story is about Barack Obama.
.
During a recent interview with MSNBCNOWThat’sWhatICallWhiteNews, the former president (the Black one) explained why it’s impossible to celebrate America’s 250th birthday without acknowledging slavery.
“Sometimes we get confused in thinking that these two stories are completely separate,” Obama Blacksplained. “They’re intertwined…which is why it’s possible for me to be a great admirer of George Washington and also acknowledge he was a slaveholder, and that does not negate his greatness.”
