2nd Essay

I propose in this essay that the articles relating to Christianity indicate that the African slave's conversion to  Christianity had a major impact on the level of success of assimilation in European society. The article by Olaudah Equiano, Christopher Brown and Nicholas Hudson provide direction to evidence that  Christianized institutions played a role in anti-slavery movement and social reform for the African slave class. The African slave benefited by means of the evangelizing Christian class who in the nurturing of the converted African slave, engaged in petitions of reform for humane treatment and recognition of the rights and value as a fellow Christian. Conversion to Christianity provided the African slave a source of empowerment towards acquiring human rights in European society. Which opened the door to freedom and the ability to being a participant in the commercial and political forums of European society as exampled by Olaudah Equiano and Paul Cufee.

A few points that support this in Christopher Brown's article are 1) the spiritual revival within Protestant communities of mid 17th century through the 18th century. Due to the nascent evangelical movement, action towards antislavery are undertaken by certain religious groups and individuals (pg 519), 2) the statement that "those preoccupied with the welfare of captive Africans typically advocated the conversion of slaves to Christianity", 3) the article states the diversity of this pattern can be found from British, French American, Spanish and Portuguese colonies and within the Jesuit, Quaker and Puritan communities. (521).

Supporting the influential role Christianity ideology played towards the impact of antislavery campaigns and social reform for the African slave in found in the article by Nicholas Hudson. Hudson's intent to refute the scholarly teachings that give much attention to the theory that antislavery activism was undertaken by radical, nonconformists within British culture yields a cornucopia of literary works and references of action undertaken by the socially conservatives of the Anglican church. Hudson also lists many members of British society that were royalists, hierarchical, fundamentally Anglican and learned men. He also mentions members of the very highest echelons of Anglican ecclesiatics were outspoken activists of antislavery. (562)

The remaining articles by Boulle, Gerzina and Peabody provide insight regarding how ethnicity and "color" were interpreted in 17th and 18th century Europe, mainly France. Both Boulle and Gerzina refer to legal cases involving French slaves which raised question of ownership and definition of what was "negro". The Gerzina article intended to enlighten the reader of the movement of Africans by means of forced migration as opposed to authors of journals writing of normal travel experiences. I liked the undertaking of this subject in her article, it substantiated Equiano's article of the opportunities opened up to seafaring slaves. Gerzina states that many African born writers tried to reconcile their enslaved status with the freedom conferred by a Christianity they discovered due to their forced movement. This statement compliments the Hudson and Brown articles in supporting the pattern of conversion to Christianity and the significant role this act played in providing assimilation within European society.