I am almost 30 and I JUST started learning about Harry Washington this summer. Thank you for sharing this story. People have to choose their own heroes instead of just accepting the ones given to us in textbooks.
We know George Washington's views of African Americans and slavery evolved. When he took command of the Continental Army, Washington was appalled to find blacks and whites serving side by side. Arming blacks scared all slaveowners, including the general, who owned many: In 1774, Washington owned 135 people, and the number increased during the war. But with recruitment a major problem, Washington realized he needed any soldiers he could get, and he eventually allowed blacks to enlist. At Yorktown, black Patriots played a key role in the American victory. By the time Washington wrote his will in 1799, his views had shifted to the point that he freed all the slaves held under his name and included provisions for feeding and clothing the elderly and educating the young among them. This did not place Washington in the forefront of the abolitionist movement, but it distinguished him from most other slaveholding Founders. As his biographer Ron Chernow wrote, by freeing slaves Washington "brought the American experience that much closer to the ideals of the American Revolution." We know much less about Harry Washington, the enslaved man who shared his owner's surname and cared for George's horses at Mount Vernon. Yet Harry's quest for freedom is remarkable, both for the ways it paralleled and for the ways it challenged George's. Harry Washington was born in Africa around 1740 and was sold into slavery somewhere near the Gambia River. After George bought him, he put Harry to work draining the Great Dismal Swamp, where George hoped to create a rice plantation. In 1771, Harry ran away but was captured. The Revolution offered Harry another chance for freedom. Faced in November 1775 with a growing rebellion in Virginia, the Colony's royal governor, Lord Dunmore, offered freedom to any slave willing to join the British forces. Dunmore's emancipation proclamation made the greatest fears of the Patriots a reality. It underlined the fact that many of those loudly demanding freedom were slaveholders, whose slaves might soon be armed against them. George's cousin Lund Washington, who oversaw the work at Mount Vernon, reported that "there is not a man of them, but would leave us, if they believed they could make their escape." Lund
Not sure what the point of this comment is or if you watched the video. Either way George Washington was an enslaver and Harry Washington was a man from Africa who recognized he was not a slave but a human born with God given value. Lastly this video is about Harry Washington’s triumph and testimony. Your comment seems to be attempting to explain away George Washington’s actions that damaged generations of families to come.
@@Trigger51B we understand that this could be triggering for you hence your screenname “Trigger”. It’s 2022 and people sadly try to justify American slavery or find a way to explain that it “wasn’t that bad” for the men, women, children and babies that dealt with years of enslavement.
“O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in't.” William Shakespeare - The Tempest
this story is not correct, Harry worked in Washingtons house. He then was sent to work in the swamp, that would never have happened unless he was hard to get along with. He escaped and was captured. Washington allowed him to work at the house again, this is a major concession by George Washington for a slave that had escaped so Washington must have liked him. Harry later escaped again and fought with the British against the Americans led buy General George Washington! He fought for the enemy! Washington Freed every single one of his slaves in his will. Harry was such a problem for the British that they banned him for life! So Harry could not get alone with ether side and I bet he did not get along with other slaves ether! Rather than being Freed with the rest of Washington's slaves he was exiled to the jungles of Africa where he probably met his death at the hands of an African tribe or wild animals.
D Haley your story about Harry Washington is a lie respectfully. Second, your attempt to justify the “kindness” of George Washington who enslaved Harry Washington by stating “he allowed him to work in the house after his escape attempt failed” is sad. You are one of a few who continue to justify/rationalize American Slavery and clearly are triggered by this video. Find a page of interest for you because Black History and the well being of black people especially Black Americans is not of interest to you 👍
@@DeeperThanRead I am not justifying slavery in any way. Had his own fellow africans not sold him into slavery in the first place he would not be a slave. Slavery in america begins with the Africans! they started it! the first man to even own a slave in america was a Black man! get your blame in the right place!
@@dhaley8847 first you don’t know if his tribe/nation sold him into slavery you’re once again lying to make a point. Second, the argument of African nations participated in the slave trade so the 250+ years of American Slavery is justified is a regurgitated racist trope that continues to be used on various platforms. Again, this channel is about Black History go find a channel about the confederacy or nazis and make comments there. Thanks 😃
@@DeeperThanRead my story is the same story that has been recorded in history. in fact the person called Harry Washington was not called Harry Washington! His name is not known. History called him Harry Washington.! Black history is of interest me me because it is so fabricated! I like for History to be Truthful! Not a fabrication. The facts of history are sometime very different that are told such as Black people started slavery in America by selling the men of defeated tribes into slavery or using them as slaves themselves! without that there would be no slavery! Facts matter!
@@DeeperThanRead if the channel is about black history then you should tell the whole story not just part of it. Yes African tribes did capture other tribes and sell them into slavery! yes the first slave that was ruled by a court to be owned for life was owned by a Black man not a white man! there were thousands of Black slave OWNERS in America! Facts matter even in Black History! only 1.4 % of whites owned slaves in 1830 yet 28% of free Blacks owned slaves! Try telling the true story on your Black History channel be cause facts matter! Try doing some research instead of stopping when the facts are not what you expected!
I am almost 30 and I JUST started learning about Harry Washington this summer. Thank you for sharing this story. People have to choose their own heroes instead of just accepting the ones given to us in textbooks.
Thanks for diving in! Much appreciated. Subscribe to the channel & check out the latest video about the History Of Rock and Roll 😃✊#deeperthanread
@@DeeperThanRead 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 no problem at all
Us British have honour Washington family lived in England just mile away
Thanks for commenting but we don’t understand the comment explain more clearly…
We know George Washington's views of African Americans and slavery evolved.
When he took command of the Continental Army, Washington was appalled to find blacks and whites serving side by side. Arming blacks scared all slaveowners, including the general, who owned many: In 1774, Washington owned 135 people, and the number increased during the war. But with recruitment a major problem, Washington realized he needed any soldiers he could get, and he eventually allowed blacks to enlist. At Yorktown, black Patriots played a key role in the American victory.
By the time Washington wrote his will in 1799, his views had shifted to the point that he freed all the slaves held under his name and included provisions for feeding and clothing the elderly and educating the young among them. This did not place Washington in the forefront of the abolitionist movement, but it distinguished him from most other slaveholding Founders. As his biographer Ron Chernow wrote, by freeing slaves Washington "brought the American experience that much closer to the ideals of the American Revolution."
We know much less about Harry Washington, the enslaved man who shared his owner's surname and cared for George's horses at Mount Vernon.
Yet Harry's quest for freedom is remarkable, both for the ways it paralleled and for the ways it challenged George's.
Harry Washington was born in Africa around 1740 and was sold into slavery somewhere near the Gambia River. After George bought him, he put Harry to work draining the Great Dismal Swamp, where George hoped to create a rice plantation. In 1771, Harry ran away but was captured.
The Revolution offered Harry another chance for freedom. Faced in November 1775 with a growing rebellion in Virginia, the Colony's royal governor, Lord Dunmore, offered freedom to any slave willing to join the British forces.
Dunmore's emancipation proclamation made the greatest fears of the Patriots a reality. It underlined the fact that many of those loudly demanding freedom were slaveholders, whose slaves might soon be armed against them.
George's cousin Lund Washington, who oversaw the work at Mount Vernon, reported that "there is not a man of them, but would leave us, if they believed they could make their escape." Lund
Not sure what the point of this comment is or if you watched the video. Either way George Washington was an enslaver and Harry Washington was a man from Africa who recognized he was not a slave but a human born with God given value. Lastly this video is about Harry Washington’s triumph and testimony. Your comment seems to be attempting to explain away George Washington’s actions that damaged generations of families to come.
It did not read truth to history Washington freed his slaves and took care of the older and younger ones once the war ended.
@@Trigger51B we understand that this could be triggering for you hence your screenname “Trigger”. It’s 2022 and people sadly try to justify American slavery or find a way to explain that it “wasn’t that bad” for the men, women, children and babies that dealt with years of enslavement.
@LunitaB1 that's one way to put it 😂 Thanks for the candid comment! Thanks for diving in! 😀
“O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't.”
William Shakespeare - The Tempest
Thanks for commenting...Subscribe if you like Black History🤔
this story is not correct, Harry worked in Washingtons house. He then was sent to work in the swamp, that would never have happened unless he was hard to get along with. He escaped and was captured. Washington allowed him to work at the house again, this is a major concession by George Washington for a slave that had escaped so Washington must have liked him. Harry later escaped again and fought with the British against the Americans led buy General George Washington! He fought for the enemy! Washington Freed every single one of his slaves in his will. Harry was such a problem for the British that they banned him for life! So Harry could not get alone with ether side and I bet he did not get along with other slaves ether! Rather than being Freed with the rest of Washington's slaves he was exiled to the jungles of Africa where he probably met his death at the hands of an African tribe or wild animals.
D Haley your story about Harry Washington is a lie respectfully. Second, your attempt to justify the “kindness” of George Washington who enslaved Harry Washington by stating “he allowed him to work in the house after his escape attempt failed” is sad. You are one of a few who continue to justify/rationalize American Slavery and clearly are triggered by this video. Find a page of interest for you because Black History and the well being of black people especially Black Americans is not of interest to you 👍
@@DeeperThanRead I am not justifying slavery in any way. Had his own fellow africans not sold him into slavery in the first place he would not be a slave. Slavery in america begins with the Africans! they started it! the first man to even own a slave in america was a Black man! get your blame in the right place!
@@dhaley8847 first you don’t know if his tribe/nation sold him into slavery you’re once again lying to make a point. Second, the argument of African nations participated in the slave trade so the 250+ years of American Slavery is justified is a regurgitated racist trope that continues to be used on various platforms. Again, this channel is about Black History go find a channel about the confederacy or nazis and make comments there. Thanks 😃
@@DeeperThanRead my story is the same story that has been recorded in history. in fact the person called Harry Washington was not called Harry Washington! His name is not known. History called him Harry Washington.! Black history is of interest me me because it is so fabricated! I like for History to be Truthful! Not a fabrication. The facts of history are sometime very different that are told such as Black people started slavery in America by selling the men of defeated tribes into slavery or using them as slaves themselves! without that there would be no slavery! Facts matter!
@@DeeperThanRead if the channel is about black history then you should tell the whole story not just part of it. Yes African tribes did capture other tribes and sell them into slavery! yes the first slave that was ruled by a court to be owned for life was owned by a Black man not a white man! there were thousands of Black slave OWNERS in America! Facts matter even in Black History! only 1.4 % of whites owned slaves in 1830 yet 28% of free Blacks owned slaves! Try telling the true story on your Black History channel be cause facts matter! Try doing some research instead of stopping when the facts are not what you expected!