A CIH reader provides an assessment of this photograph. "Liberia didn't have a legal state of slavery. Anyway "the Blacks coming from America, that were the leading class, didn't search the integration of all the people of the nation. They managed the independence ad a deal of a caste. The public istruction was very poor and the economy dilapidated" (Joseph Ki Zerbo, Histoire del l'Afrique Noire, pg. 463). In 1930 the League of Nations accused the Liberian government to reduce indigenous people in a condition similar to slavery. About the element of the photo. Bare breasts was often a sign of slavery among Muslims. Here modesty rules state that free women have to cover the breast. That is not the case of Liberia. Anyway in the photo the wealthy family wear American style clothing and the bare breasts of the servant (perhaps slave de facto) are clearly a sign of her low condition. I too had the impression of a chain hanging to her neck. It could be a great rosary (at least I see the same figure). In this case the woman were Catholic. That would show that her condition of serfdom/slavery was only a matter of real
racism."
Navigate the Children in History Website:
[Return to the Main Liberian slavery page]
[Return to the Main African slavery page]
[Return to the Main Liberian history page]
[Return to the Main slavery page]
[Return to the Main working page]
[About Us]
[Introduction]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Climatology]
[Clothing]
[Disease and Health]
[Economics]
[Freedom]
[Geography]
[History]
[Human Nature]
[Ideology]
[Law]
[Nationalism]
[Presidents]
[Religion]
[Royalty]
[Science]
[Social Class]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Children in History Home]