Of The Meaning of Progress

George Orwell once stated, “An autobiography is only to be trusted when it reveals something disgraceful. A man who gives a good account of himself is probably lying, since any life when viewed from the inside is simply a series of defeats.” (The Complete Works of George Orwell) Traditionally, autobiographies are written about individuals to tell the story of their existence; an existence heavily influenced by their surroundings, families, and friends. These first-hand experiences are often taken for granted because no one knows the author’s life better than the author. What is to be thought of the life accounts of non-humans, such as a country like the United States. Textbooks offer a view of American history that comments on, but does not place proper emphasis on the disgraceful section of American history known as slavery. Though the institution took millions of Africans from their home and reduced them to mere chattel, it is only given a small blurb in most American History books. The disproportionate representation of slavery in texts must make readers question the trustworthiness of the American autobiography, a story written by its people. However, those in the majority are not the only children of America. Those enslaved men and women were as responsible if not more so than the white men and women for the success of America. Their voices, however, were silenced by violence, abuse, and illiteracy. This silencing was meant to paint a perfect picture of equality and democracy for those in the majority. Most whites did not want to acknowledge the fact that it was the labor of “chattel” that created the wealth of a nation. The voices of this disenfranchised group would not be kept quiet forever, their story was necessary to deliver a truthful version of America’s story. The personal anecdotes of black men, only made possible by the ability to read and write, started during slavery and have continued over the course of some two hundred years. Inherent in every autobiography written by a member of this strong group is a commentary on education. This is my commentary...