Stabroek News– The Writers’ Room – By Rosaliene Bacchus
Georgetown, British Guiana, June 16, 1950
Richard Cheong cradled his first-born in his arms. He had hoped for a boy-child but would have to wait until next time. He was the only surviving son of seven children. Two boys had died of malaria soon after birth. Two months after his eighth birthday, Edward, the youngest, was found dead under the tamarind tree on the sugar estate road in the neighboring village.
His passing had drained their mother’s energies. Her death shortly thereafter had changed their lives forever. Richard had been thirteen. Continue reading
USA: 400 Years After Slavery’s Start, No More Band-Aids
It’s time to heal the deep wounds of racism—not only to ensure equity for African Americans, but for our entire economy.
A slave auction in Richmond, Virginia, 1856. While slavery is often regarded as long-ago history, it was integral to shaping our economy—and its inequality—today. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Four hundred years ago this month, the first enslaved people from Africa arrived in Virginia.
Slavery is often reduced to a crime of America’s long-ago past. But enslaved labor created the backbone for America’s capitalistic economy, allowing it to grow into — and remain — the world’s leading economy today. Continue reading →
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