Antiques auction selling neck shackles accused of ‘profiting from slavery’

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ck-shackles-accused-of-profiting-from-slavery

 

The auctioneer says they used to belong to the father of a dealer friend. So presumably part of an inheritance.
Frankly, if I were the dealer friend I would donate them to a museum (department) devoted to the history of slavery or specifically of Zanzibar and other East African nations where people were sold into slavery.

 

Agree re donation.

Debora

 

I respect any any professional that refuses to value any type of this item...

 

I'd vote for putting them in a museum too, where they can be seen. They're a piece of history, a tangible part most often collected in the USA by the descendants of the enslaved. They're a visual and physical reminder of the pain and suffering. In the USA, descendants of the enslaved are the collectors of this kind of material along with museums.

 

I remember when ebay had tons of listings for this sort of thing.
Probably all were fake.

 

Hopefully fake. Having the real thing around would give me nightmares. Copies would be bad nauseating, but not as bad.

 

One of the things I inherited is a bill of sale for a slave named Fielding.

I would never sell it, nor would I destroy it (as has been suggested to me in the past). I believe that destroying it would erase the memory of this otherwise anonymous man. I feel I have a moral duty to remember his name and his humanity.

My wife and I don't have children, and my nephews have made it clear that they don't have any interest in the family history, so I need to make a decision about who to donate this and many other bits and pieces in my care.

 

There are collectors out there for the paperwork. It deserves to exist, especially since it may be the only proof this man ever lived. Local historical society maybe? Or local to where the paper came from?

 

That would be Lauderdale Co., Mississippi.

I've made a few cursory attempts to find census information, but it's in the Black Belt, and records/information for a possibly transient population of Freedmen is sparse.

 

It would be. With only one name and no real location to tie him to, locating the man's family would be difficult at best. And Mississippi...oy.

 

This kind of stuff is always a tough topic, just like WW2 Nazi stuff. You don't want to see profits made on it, yet it is history that helped shape today's society. Tough call.

I really appreciate that you guys can maturely discuss these topics, as well as others. I am a member on other sites and hate when they say certain topics can't be discussed. It's ridiculous.

 

What other sites ?

We're the only site that matters/......

 

I am on a car site and they wouldn't discuss the recent Super Bowl halftime show...

 

Sounds like a Nas -Car site !!!

ohh , I'm so bad !!!.................................................... like a bunny !!!

.

 

Nah, old cars.

They labeled it a political topic, lol whatever

 

well, we're not supposed to talk politics or religion here..........

... but that Republican Pastor...is nasty !!!!!!

 

Send them this...........

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