THE BASIC FACTS OF AFRICAN SLAVERY

One slave named Salma was born a slave in 1956.  Her parents were slaves to the same family.  When she began working she took care of the wife of the head of the family.  She said," When I was older if one of my children was hurt or in danger I couldn't help the child because I had to care for the master's children."  She was often was beaten with a wooden stick or lather belt but, once when they were beating her mother she tried to stop them I got burnt by a branding iron.  She also said," The other slaves were afraid of liberty but, I always believed that I had to be free."  So later she tried to escape but, was caught. "The master of the house cut my wrist with a razor,"said Salma,"I still have cuts on my wrist."

"Finally, I met a man in the market who told me where Senegal was so I tried to escape again and suceeded." says Salma. Once there she made her way to a safe house where she earned her keep dong house work.  When she  got to the U.S. she worked braiding hair.  "That was the very first time I got paid for work I did.  It was a very good surprise," she said. 

Child slaves in Sudan.