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'Louisiana's Code Noir', also known as the slave code, was written to regulate the relations between slaves and colonists. This list of 54 regulations touches base with the position of slaves and free Africans in society and the rules and regulations with their masters/whites. The list covers rules such as: which Africans are considered slaves/free men, whether or not they can be freed and what conditions and requirements they must meet to be granted liberation, possessions Africans are allowed to own, relations regarding the relationships of slaves and their owners, rules and punishments slaves must abide by, rules and punishments whites must abide by in regards to their slaves, other privileges Africans possess/can obtain, etc.

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This excerpt by the New York Times discusses different aspects, perspectives, causes, and stories from the heightened era of slavery. Subjects such as the origin and overall basis of slavery,  how it was first implemented in the Americas, the tactics, skills, rules, and criteria slave traders used to control and select slaves, stories of African rebellions against the restraints of European dominance and how they either succeeded or failed,  limitations and freedoms Africans possessed/earned, how slavery was viewed in the Americas as time went on, etc, are all discussed and mentioned in the article. These events are written in chronological and logical order, guiding the readers through time and touching base with both the in-depth and surface information needed to truly understand and view slavery.

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The Equiano excerpt is written by Olaudah Equiano, an abolitionist from the Kingdom of Benin in Eboe, who was kidnapped as a child and sold in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. In this brief autobiography, Equiano describes his life in Eboe, his family and siblings, and how in terms of community, the children he grew up with would take turns to be on the look out for slave kidnappers. Unfortunately, Equiano and his only sister became victim of the kidnappers and were taken away from their family, separated from each- other, and sold into slavery. Equiano would go through several master households in Africa before being kidnapped once again and have his fate changed to being shipped and sold to the Americas.

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What I learned was that in any circumstance where a slave is not properly provided for by their master, their master can be punished and charged for such "barbarous and inhuman treatment". I've acknowledged the fact that because the masters own their slaves as property,  they are their responsibility and one would think that the owners can do whatever they please. I just think it is very ironic for the lack of providence to be labeled as "barbarous and inhumane" when owning slaves by itself is already barbarous and inhumane, and alone should be illegal. Labeling of slaves is something that is not new to me (such as labeling slaves with numbers), but the "flower de luce", which is given as a result of punishment, is specifically something I did not know about . It's rather disturbing that these brands are given to slaves on specified criminal occasions. It's sort of like a "warning sign" to the slaves that they went against the rules once and that future consequences will be much worse; This itself is very bone-chilling and I guess you could say it's like a "strike-one" tally.

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What I learned and also surprised me was that at first, slavery was not based on race. The ideology that dark skin was inferior to "fair skin" was established later on in  the history of slavery when it became the normalized custom to specifically have African slaves. The reason why Africans were most susceptible to the hands of slavery was because Africa was in easy reach for seizing and would be much less cumbersome transportation; Africa is just south of Europe...convenient for the Europeans. It was also in shorter distance of the America's, which resulted in the the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

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What I learned and definitely surprised me was the fact that Equiano was sold into slavery...IN Africa. I had no idea that people in Africa were being sold to their own living in the same continent, and up until know I've only been aware of the idea that slaves were automatically brought to the Americas for work. I thought it was shocking that people in Africa were going against each-other and taking extreme measures to even kidnapping others, especially children (to which I have understood was for economic reasons and to please the Europeans).

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One point that I think is very significant and should definitely be included in lessons about slavery is the determination of status of an African child. Most people think that a child born from slavery ridden parents are automatically slaves themselves, and I assume that many do not know that in reality, the status of the child is ultimately determined by the mother. If the mother is a slave, then the child shall too live as a slave, and vice versa. I think it is also important to stress the fact that African slaves can be granted liberation and obtain advanced privileges. It is also typical for people to think that once a person is deemed a slave, they are forever a slave til the end of their days. We should be educated about the liberation grants and processes masters can give to their slaves, the new privileges slaves obtain once freed, the expectation and limitations of a freed African slave, etc.

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Rebellion/fighting stories about Africans and African slaves is a topic that is rarely discussed and should definitely be highlighted when teaching lessons about slavery. It is rare that we hear about slaves standing up for themselves and taking an opportunity to fight for the better good (other than the stories about them escaping or helping other slaves escape, we know about those), and yet there are so many stories of rebellions, successful and unsuccessful. The story of Ana Njinga, Jemmy, Elizabeth Freeman,  and Nat Turner are names that are unknown to very many people. When we talk about slavery, none of those names are any of the first, or even included on the list, to even pop up in our minds. Though the Africans had a much smaller advantage during these times, rebellion and fighting against oppression sometimes worked. Ana Njinga fought against the Portuguese and was able to establish peace with them before she died; Jemmy lead a group of enslaved Africans to "call out for liberty and influenced the largest slave uprising known as the "Stono Rebellion".

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One point that I think is very important to stress and emphasize when teaching the story of slavery is that many Africans kidnapped in Africa were first sold as slaves IN Africa(especially the people those who were more in-land). Many people think that slaves were kidnapped and automatically brought to the coast to be shipped over the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, and many of us are unaware of the fact that slavery also became common in its heart origin. I also think it's crucial to emphasize the fact that slavery in Africa was much different that slavery in the Americas. In the excerpt, Equiano describes being fairly treated by the people who owned him. He was not flogged for accidentally killing a chicken and then running away, for he was spared by the master (flogging was a possibility, but it was never mentioned that he experienced such heinous punishment). In the second house he attended to, he sat at the table with a wealthy widow and her son and was treated like an equal; he quotes "and I now began to think I was to be adopted into the family." In the Americas, the brutality of the system of slavery is well-known and it all starts when the slaves bore the horrific transportation ships. The major differences, especially with slavery in Africa being "less-intense", does not at all dismiss the whole ideology of slavery and make it less horrible than it is. It is inhumane and unfair either way, but it is very important for us to know that it didn't just occur here in the Western region.

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This excerpt connects to the other two articles in terms of talking about what slaves were allowed to do, their privileges, and their treatment. 'Louisiana's Code Noir' lists different customs and rules Africans and Europeans must obey, and in the "Brief History Of Slavery", it discusses in several sections the conventional way the Africans and Europeans lived (some of which are listen in the 'Code Noir; Ex: Status of an African child being determined by the mother, punishments slaves receive for breaking different rules, etc). In the Equiano excerpt, we are able to see some these customs come to life. Through Equiano's eyes, we are able to relive his times as a slave and see the differences and similarities of slavery in Africa in comparison to the Americas. (He was better treated as a slave in Africa in comparison to the ship journey over the Atlantic, which was just the new start to the new treatment he would receive in the Western world)

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In this excerpt, ideas from both the "Louisiana's Code Noir" and the Equiano excerpt" are either discussed or mention (in form of a different event). Several codes from the "Slave code" are mentioned in the 'Brief History of Slavery', including: status of an African child being determined by their mother, the limited privileges slaves had, etc. The slave regulations were brought to life in the different stories/sections of this article. In the Equiano, we are able to see the notion of "some slaves were family to their owners", come alive as well. From my point of view, Equiano was never completely viewed as "family" in the households he served, but he was decently respected and treated, which pulls back to the story of Rhonda Phillips. This formality was not common during this time (specifically in the Americas), especially between slaves and their masters.

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In this excerpt, I think that other sources about slavery in Africa in comparison to slavery in the Americas should have been included. We have learned that slavery in both regions differ greater, especially in terms of brutality and labor-types. Equiano is able to describe the misfortunes he faced as a kidnapped slave in Africa, though the moment he boarded the transportation ship and began describing his experience there, the readers were inundated with a whole new experience and setting. The brutality on the ship was described as much more barbarous and merciless and I think that it would benefit the readers and deepen their perspective and knowledge of slavery if a direct comparison of slave treatment and intensity was given.