So what is this blog all about?

I am taking part of the 31 days to a brand new blog challenge and today’s task was to write a purpose statement for my blog. Hmm, a purpose statement huh? Well the better question is what’s the purpose of this blog? I’ll tell you what the purpose is, so that we can move forward and really start to change how this blog reads.

Why do I blog?
I’m blogging because I want people to understand what it’s like to be an African American woman who makes their living interpreting slave life 5 out of 7 days a week at a plantation. I want to get across the message that slavery is often over looked because people aren’t comfortable exploring that part of America’s past, and I ask, “Why not?” We can’t live as if slavery never existed, and we cannot go without asking about it once in our lives. I also need a place to talk about the constant struggles I face everyday when I am at work and I have to deal with being the only slave interpreter at my site when the family who owned the land had at one point 139 enslaved African Americans. How do I properly represent those who spent their lives here and for the descendents of these people who live within a five mile radius of the plantation? How do I make this work? And why did I decide to do this as a career? To answer those questions is why I blog.

What do I blog about?
Well I blog about being a slave interpreter. I know I answered this question in the previous paragraph but I blog about my experiences at work. I blog about what it’s like to be a “paid slave” and what it’s like to work with people who may not understand exactly how sensitive the subject of slavery is. I blog about the challenges I face as I have visitors purposely ignore me because they don’t want to come face to face with a past that they believe to be the hidden shame of the country. I use hidden shame loosely since I come in contact with some visitors who believe the real shame is that slavery was abolished and people like me are allowed to roam free. (Sad and disturbingly true). I also blog about the various projects I am working on, whether it be my garden depicting the supplements to a slave diet or the programming that I am constantly working to improve so that a better story can be told.

What do I want to become known for through my blog?
I want to become known for making slavery okay to talk about and explore in depth. I want to become known for putting slave interpretation at the forefront of living history sites whose past includes slavery, without shame and without apology. I want to be known for having an educated and honest opinion of what I do for a living without people chuckling to themselves as I tell them I work at a plantation. Now I can’t control who laughs at what I do, but I want to be known for planting a seed in their minds to think deeper on the topic of slavery in America.

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7 Responses

  1. Le Loup says:

    Well I have given slavery some considerable thought in the past, but hopefully I will learn a lot more from you.
    I have a question which I think is important if I am to participate in this blog. What is the correct term/name to use for your people.
    With respect & regards, Le Loup.

  2. Le Loup says:

    I have added your blog link to my blog.
    Regards.

  3. historychic says:

    Thanks for the follow! I am asked this question a lot at work. I usually just tell people to use African American. I find it to be something that everyone is comfortable with and tends not to offend anybody.

  4. Lola Gets says:

    Ha-haaa! I used to be a Slave Life Interpreter too! It was up here in the DC area, and I only did it part time. I had some of the most interesting experiences, and not always in the good way. Good luck to you!

    L

  5. Kimberlee Stiens says:

    How interesting! I didn't know there was such a job. Slavery may be over, but anyone who says that the past is the past isn't looking closely enough. I look forward to reading more!

    http://businessforgoodnotevil.blogspot.com/

  6. historychic says:

    @Lola Gets Oh we must share stories! It is so rare for me to find another interpreter who knows, understands and just feels for what I do. I wish there was a support group for slave life interpreters or at least an open bar that we could go to somedays! Keep reading, I'm sure my journey will make you chuckle.

  7. historychic says:

    @kimberlee there is such a job and I will say, it takes a special group of people to make slave interpretation not only successful, but relevant and I hope to be one of those faces who makes a difference! Thanks for joining the journey with me!

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