2008 Woodie Awards
Grant Louis Ashley addresses African-American, Native American slavery in San Joaquin County
Karyn Gilbert
Issue date: 4/1/05 Section: News
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"Peter Singer explained a brilliant way slaves were treated -- like animals," said Ashley in his opening. "Whites didn't take slaves seriously...They're not a member of our species, just like animals. They were beaten, hung, etc. because they were (a) different species."
In 1849 many blacks were freed or escaped from work in the gold mines to satisfy other roles, such as bootblacks, wheelwrights, washwomen, express men, barbers, and civil rights activists.
The first state convention of colored citizens was held in Sacramento in 1855.
"This was upward mobility for negroes (in) testimony law," said Ashley. "This was a powerful law in 1852."
In 1852, over 60 slaves of African descent were living around Stockton in the free state of California, but they were known to be free "with a wink." A law was passed 1952 that blacks could not testify on behalf of their family, only whites. This law was on the agenda of the 1855 convention.
"If your whole family was killed, you can't testify," Ashley said.
Rev. Jeremiah King was the representative for Stockton and San Joaquin County in the first convention. King was a free slave, who had become in farmer and land owner, along with being the founder of the second Baptist church.
Ashley went on to discuss how over 10,000 Native Americas, which included 4,000 children, were held as "movable property."
"(They were used as) instruments of their own will or God's will to be put to use," Ashley said.
John Sutter, founder of Sutter's Mill, kept between 600 and 800 Indians in a "complete state of slavery" as early as 1839.
"They were fed from troughs in the hot sun, which was not proven, along with relying on the Native American women for sexual pleasures," said Ashley.