A+Free+African-American


 * Name:** Jim Jackson (master's last name)[[image:http://www.capegateway.gov.za/image/2004/8/ct_freed_slave.jpg align="right"]]
 * Age:** 32
 * Gender:** Male
 * Occupation:** Factory worker
 * If in politics, what was your occupation prior to that:** Not in politics - previously a slave
 * Social Class:** freed slave
 * Financial Situation:** Having escaped from his master, he is free, but lacks the financial ability. He is earning money slowly, but barely manages to afford the basic necessities and shelter.
 * Appearance:** Tall and well built physique - the body was strengthened through harsh physical labor. Overall, because he is poor, he appears rugged and indigent.
 * Location:** Boston, Massachusetts
 * Daily Routine:** daily routine was very set and wasn't subject to many changes. He wakes up, goes to work, and comes back home to rest. Work is the most important to him as of now, and tries to get the most money out of working.
 * Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits:** He seldom speaks, and focuses on getting his job done. The last thing he wants is trouble, and he works extremely diligently to achieve his goal of getting his family away from their masters into the free state he is in.
 * Past/Individual and family history:** While under slavery, he meets his wife with whom he has two children. Despite him having a family, he escapes from his master to a free state, Pennsylvania, and swears to take his family out of slavery as well.
 * Family:** One wife, two children, all enslaved in Virginia
 * Social relations with others:** This man barely socializes with anyone. He socializes with a couple of his fellow factory workers to converse and share stories of their lives. One person that he socializes closely with is a person who has access to news. (media such as newspaper)
 * Religion:** Christian
 * Education:** never received education from a formal institution. However, he learns the very basics on how to read and write after he became free. He finds reading fascinating, and reads everything such as novels and newpapers that he can access.
 * Conflicts/Enemies:** the slave owners in the South in general - those who advocate slavery in America, since he used to be a slave himself, and his family members still are.

__**Journal #1**__ - //The time frame is sometime during the year 1850. Consider all of the things that have taken place during the previous five years (Mexican-American War, Mexican Cession, Wilmot Proviso, Compromise of 1850, Fugitive Slave Act). You are free to write about any one (or more) of these things in your journal entry. Be sure to include your actions in response to one (or more) of these events.//

Today is no different. I work for my family, and my family only. I sometimes regret why I have escaped by myself into a free state, but as of now the only way I can see and embrace my family again is to work hard, get money, and take them away from the evil hands of the greedy slaveholder.

Although most of the time I was working starting from sunrise till sunset, I always keep up with the news. The past five years have given me many up-and-downs about us black people in America. The news concerning the slaves draw my attention, since my poor family still are slaves in the South, and I don't want anything bad to happen to them. I hope more people could think and act like sir Wilmot, who proposed a good idea of banning using us black people as slaves in the newly gained land after fighting those Mexicans. Slavery should go away so everyone can live happily.

But a few weeks ago, I must admit it was very disturbing. I have escaped from the evil white man from the South to freedom and safety, but that guarantee is not shaking to instability. The fugitive slave law, they call it, is a stupid law that makes us free black men not free. That is, the law reduces us to the insecurities that I suffered when I was a slave. Those evil Southerners can accuse me or any other free black man, without giving us rights as free men, and treat us like slaves. My fellow factory workers told me that the law is even trying to make where I'm living in into a plantation. Where will these people's greed meet its end?

I am a sinner for living my dear family behind. I hate this country for giving me such a hard life. Why oh why did I escape only by myself - just under the justification that I might be able to save them from the clutches of the evil slaveholders once I am free first. I must sleep now, for I have work to do. One day, my hard effort will be the staff of Moses that will split the way to my family in half. Wait for me darling, and hold in their my angels. It won't be long before I will be coming for you. God, please don't give them white devils get what they want. Let me have my chance to pardon my sin to my family.

Guide me through this evil times. Amen.

**__Journal #2__ -** //The year is now 1852. Continue your story as you began in Journal #1. For this journal entry and all subsequent entries, you must interact with at least two other characters in each journal entry. When you interact with another character, provide a hyperlink to that character's page in your journal entry.//

More work everyday. I feel tired, and I can feel my hand getting rougher and rougher. But I deserve this. I need to do this in order to see my family. Beside the workload that I take care of everyday - the primary motivation that kept my days dull and routine - something happened that made today a little bit different. A white man - emitting an aura of atmosphere different from that of Mr. McGee approached me with a sympathetic expression on his face. I assumed that he approached me because I was a negro, and that he had things to ask me. I told myself, I did nothing wrong. Don't make trouble. To my surprise, this man brought something that I did not expect. He was warm, and treated me as if I weren't a negro. He shook my hand (which obviously isn't a common experience around this factory) and observed my hand carefully. The man told me that his name is @John Brown, and told me that he was an abolitionist of some sort - that he wants those of my kind to be free. Usually, I would have sent the guest away and got to work - for my ultimate goal of being successful at work did not change. But this man gave off a strange feeling of safety and attraction, that I gave myself a break and told this man about my miserable life. How I was born a slave, had a family, but had to run away - the reminiscing left me more reduced and depressed.

As much as I was dejected, I felt pleased to have had my mournful memory off my chest - the pure fact that I could do so relieved my senses. I am not sure whether this man is being deceitful like those white devils of the South, or he is being utterly sincere; regardless of that, after listening to my story, Mr. Brown has promised me that he will put in his best efforts to help me find and live with my family again. I could not believe that the man said such thing, and the next thing I knew was that I was shaking his hand so vigorously as if I wanted to tear his arm off. I don't remember having been excited this much for a long time.

Before the man left, he told me that Mr. McGee is his friend, and that he will work together - that even though he will be departing this factory, Mr McGee will take care of me. God, thank you. Thank you for showing me light in this infinitely dark abyss of life. I understand that such chance is balancing upon a thin thread. Work will pay off in the end, and so will my prayers. I shall never lose faith, please be with me Lord.

**__Journal #3__ -** //It's 1854... the Kansas-Nebraska Act has passed. Squatters are now moving into Kansas in an attempt to sway the vote. Continue your story...//

What is this world coming to? I knew something was going on... my life was too eventful in the past two years. I mean, who in this country would be so interested in a free negro working days and nights just to save his poor family from the devils? One thing I'm glad that my factory owner - Mr. McGee - seems to take more attention to me through acts such as asking me questions... after that strange man named Brown came and left. Foolishly, I thought for a second that white people treat free negros like me nicely. Until this man named @James Buchanan(his name I've unintentionally overheard) visited the factory. At the sight of me, he startled as if he had been encountered by a horrible looking animal or something! I took no offense though, for I have been treated so for the past many years of my life. All of a sudden the man started going through my pockets, took out some paper and started yelling things that I couldn't understand because of his overly sonorous voice. Even an unlearned man like me could tell that he detested my existence. 'Don't make trouble,' I told myself - and walked to the workplace where I belonged. Anyways, dear Lord, how shaken and shattered I have felt when my friend informed me that the Kansas Nebraska Act has passed; that the Missouri Compromise was repealed. Now Kansas and Nebraska also carries the potential of becoming the hosts of the most despicable system that any man on this planet can possibly come up with. Slavery. Slavery. What is it - what power does man grant - that makes this system so potent to manipulate us? O diary, frankly, I couldn't care less about this issue, for it is my family that I am dreaming of reaching to. But how cruel the reality is - that there can be more brothers like me in this nation just because the greed of those white devils just won't stop. I am a feeble, powerless negro who can't do anything to change anything. I can't even save my family right now. Lord, please don't extinguish the hope in me and my family's life.

As years pass like minutes and hours of a day, I grow more hopeless and desperate. Every night I am afraid that I may forget the looks of my children. Like I was always, I was, and still am trying everything that will get me even an inch closer to reaching my family, and I have made some progress in the past year or so. A woman - a warm and accepting woman - offered counseling and exchange of ideas on reaching my family via letter. She could feel me. She understood me. O diary, please do not let me forget the name of this woman. @Sojourner Truth. A beautiful name indeed. So far, the most hopeful comment that I have received from her is using something called the 'underground railroad.' According to her, it is a way to get the slaves from their masters to the North. I wrote back for more description... her letter is the only reason I wake up with hope in the morning.

It seems like God is fair - where there is light, there is darkness; where there is despair, there is hope. You are my only compass Lord, guide me through this horrible times.

**__Journal #4__ -** //It's now 1856. Bleeding Kansas has just taken place and John Brown emerged on to the scene. Buchanan was just elected as the US President. Dred Scott is arrested and is about to be brought to trial. Continue your story.//

Life is full of surprises, my mama always used to tell me. As I got older, I grew to disbelieve my old mother's little saying, but I'm beginning to feel that she was right. For some reason, the very events and the people who brought some ups and downs to my trivial factory life seems to be bringing more of their friends. Those things that happened in the past are so relatable to what's going on right now that I'm even thinking that everything has strings attached. I mustn't forget what I'm really working for though.. for forgetting such a priority will be an unforgivable sin to my family. Blame my memory, for I will be dedicating this precious writing time to explain why I'm thinking like that, and what has happened... maybe I'll look back at this in the future to remember something that my brain will not be able to contain. That man - the very man who acted in such a rude manner - named Buchanan turns out to be a man of his class. Just about when I was about to forget about his rudeness and racist behaviors, he's the president of the United States of America. That racist cocky white man is the president of this country. What more can I say? If he'd been so rude to a trivial negro like me, how would he be to the rest of my brothers in this land? I heard that a man named @Dred Scott- quite a smart man I hear - has brought himself to court to buy himself freedom. Gee, I feel bad that he's got to take the hard road, but I am worried that the racist president might influence the country and deny Scott the right he deserves. I can only pray. Besides that, the most surprising was that man named @John Brown. Boy, was he fascinating. Getting a depressed and tired negro like me to giggle like a little girl. But as it turns out, he wasn't so peaceful and nice at all to those who wishes to scar the men of my kind. I hear, in Kansas, where people could decide whether it be handed to the devil or to the people, there is war going on. And I hear the name Brown so often. That brave man must be a being who is much more than that meets the eye.

Oh Lord, forgive my weakness; inability to save my family; inability to save my brothers from suffering; inability to fight for what is right. Lord, forgive me, that I can only pray and work, knowing that people of my kind are suffering. Lord, guide me and those who are taking the bullets for the rest of the brothers breathing in this land, that they shall be invincible in the arms of you my Lord.

Life is, and has surely been full of surprises. I pray, the future shall be full of surprises too, only full of light this time.

__**Journal #5**__ - //The year is 1860. Lincoln was just elected as US President, prompting South Carolina to secede. Write the next chapter in your story.// none

Too many news to sort out. But allow me to make a prayer for a fellow who showed me light in the deepest abyss that I deemed unescapable, but was hanged himself, for doing what he believed in. O, @John Brown. I knew you were different; justly different that you cared for a negro like me, and how you said those words to make me - a destitute, dirty factory worker - feel better about my life. Truth to be told Brown, I never thought I was going to make it; I always pounded on myself for escaping alone leaving behind my family, thinking that I was capable of getting them out of slavery and be free together once and for all. But, you - the fact that there were people like you out there, trying to free and help us blacks revived that flame of hope, and here I am still standing and walking towards my goal. O Brown, I admire your courage and your determination, but how foolish I think of you right now. My mama always told me that if you're dead, all is gone. Another dream of mine was to see you and say thank you with all my family together, but I guess I'll have to do that in heaven.

Now I shall rest my trust on Lincoln - that tall, pale man - who, as far as I'm informed, thinks of slavery is a moral wrong. Finally, some people up there are now clutching onto the real answers. One thing that worries me about him being the President of this land is that he - indirectly, I suppose - split up this nation. I heard that South Carolina seceded from the Union. Darn those devils, for I only see their actions as a declaration that they love slavery that much to abandon being a part of the Union. Is this nation coming to a war? Is it inevitable, I asked myself. Then, I pounded myself on the head and rephrased the question to 'what am I going to do?' If the war breaks out, me in the North and my family in the South, the predicament that I deemed un-worsen-able will become hellish. I've only written four of these journals to keep my chest off of sorrowful things, and as I read back, I am ashamed how much of a coward I was. Soaked in sorrow, merely mentioning that my goal is to get my family out of slavery, and asking my Lord for guidance all the time, as if I was solely depending on Him for hope. Pathetic.

O, I forgot to mention that I'm extremely glad to have read a wonderful novel called 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.' That woman - @Harriet Beecher Stowe is a magician of words, conjuring me up to tears every time I picked up the copy of the book that I worked so hard to acquire. No one on this planet would understand Uncle Tom's feelings as I do. My friends tell me, that Mister Biff McGee and his mistress have been moved by this book. Just to let out my overwhelmed state of appreciation and gratitude for writing such a great novel, I wrote to Ms. Stowe. I do not care nor expect a response - for she must be a busy woman.

Dear journal, I hereby declare that this is likely to be the very last journal that I write. Seeing these people - Ms. @Sojourner Truth, @John Brown and others - jeopardizing their lives to do what they think is right, and I'm here sitting and working weeping everyday in despair that I can't even save my family.

I'm setting off tonight reach for my family before it's way too late. I'm late enough. If I be smiling and laughing with my wife and kids in a nice house with delicious food, maybe I'll write to you again. As far as the circumstances, if I succeed in getting my family back and escape, I shall be going to Michigan to meet Ms. @Sojourner Truth! She is the one person that I cannot miss seeing without giving a word of appreciation. Though it was a long time ago, she wrote me a while back wishing me luck and safety in carrying out my plan, and that she'll be praying for me at all times. Be I in her prayers, I shall be invincible and successful.

Lord, be with me at all times.

(the journal ends here)

//* Outside narration: Jim succeeds in recueing his family before the Battle of Sumter and other violent conflicts that arised from the North-South tensions. He heads to Michigan and meets Sojourner Truth, who is overwhelmingly joyous to see him with his family all together. They talk and depart, and Jim heads to have his new life with his family. *//

http://www.capegateway.gov.za/image/2004/8/ct_freed_slave.jpg

"Free Blacks in the Antebellum Period." //African American Odyssey//. 15 Mar. 2002. Web. 09 Nov. 2009. .

"The Religion of the Slaves." //Wake Forest University Lectures//. Wake Forest University. Web. 09 Nov. 2009. .