quotations about slavery
Slavery, in all its forms, in all its degrees, is a violation of Divine law, and a degradation of human nature.
JACQUES-PIERRE BRISSOT DE WARVILLE
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New Travels in the United States of America, Performed in 1788
In most ages many countries have had part of their inhabitants in a state of slavery; yet it may be doubted whether slavery can ever be supposed the natural condition of man. It is impossible not to conceive that men in their original state were equal; and very difficult to imagine how one would be subjected to another but by violent compulsion. An individual may, indeed, forfeit his liberty by a crime; but he cannot by that crime forfeit the liberty of his children.
SAMUEL JOHNSON
Life of Samuel Johnson, September 23, 1777
Better freedom with a crust, than slavery with every luxury.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE
Intuitions and Summaries of Thought
All mankind is divided, as it was at all times and is still, into slaves and freemen; for whoever has not two-thirds of his day for himself is a slave, be he otherwise whatever he likes, statesman, merchant, official, or scholar.
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
Complete Works: The First Complete and Authorised English Translation, Volume 6
The turpitude, the inhumanity, the cruelty, and the infamy of the African commerce in slaves have been so impressively represented to the public by the highest powers of eloquence that nothing that I can say would increase the just odium in which it is and ought to be held. Every measure of prudence, therefore, ought to be assumed for the eventual total extirpation of slavery from the United States.
JOHN ADAMS
letter to T. Robert J. Evans, June 8, 1819
Let every voice be thunder, let every heart beat strong
Until all tyrants perish our work shall not be done
Let not our memories fail us the lost year shall be found
Let slavery's chains be broken the whole wide world around.
PETER, PAUL & MARY
"Because All Men Are Brothers"
Excess of liberty, whether it lies in state or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of slavery.
PLATO
The Republic
It is the mind of man alone that is the cause of his bondage or freedom.
CHANAKYA
Vridda-Chanakya
It is a dire calamity to have a slave; it is an expiable curse to be one.
WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR
Selections from the Writings of Walter Savage Landor
There must doubtless be an unhappy influence on the manners of our people produced by the existence of slavery among us. The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other.
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Notes on the State of Virginia, 1782
Look back, to slavery, to suffrage, to integration and one thing is clear. Fashions in bigotry come and go. The right thing lasts.
ANNA QUINDLEN
New York Times, January 31, 1993
Slavery is bad for the slave, but far worse for the master, as sapping his character and making impossible that moral vigour of the individual on which is based the collective vigour of the nation.
LEONARD HUXLEY
"Life of Professor Huxley", Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley
Whenever a slave shall enter Hawaiian territory, he shall be free.
KAMEHAMEHA V
attributed, Day's Collacon
Willingly no one chooses the yoke of slavery.
AESCHYLUS
Agamemnon
The man born and bred a slave, even if freed, never loses wholly the feeling or manner of a slave.
MARY CLEMMER AMES
Outlines of Men, Women, and Things
In ancient times, as to-day in Asia and Africa, slaves were simply called slaves. In the Middle Ages, they took the name of "serfs", to-day they are called "wage-earners".
MIKHAIL BAKUNIN
Marxism, Freedom and the State
When you believe, or are led to believe, you are unable to act upon the greatest desires of the soul, the result is mental and spiritual enslavement.
IYANLA VANZANT
Acts of Faith
They keep on talking, they're oh so proud
They keep us walking, they scream so loud
They own the venue, they own he crowd
Hey, yeah, slavery
RICHIE HAVENS
"Fates"
Now the slave emerges as a freeman; all the rigid, hostile walls which either necessity or despotism has erected between men are shattered. Now that the gospel of universal harmony is sounded, each individual becomes not only reconciled to his fellow but actually one with him -- as though the veil of Maya had been torn apart and there remained only shreds floating before the vision of mystical Oneness.
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
Nietzsche Selections
Do you, do you remember those days of slavery?
It wasn't black man alone, who died thru bravery.
'Though some a dem threw dem self over board,
because dis ya slaveship overload.
EEK-A-MOUSE
"Do You Remember"