I was distressed to learn about the history of slavery in our local area in the article ”Tracing slavery’s stain” [Gazette, Dec. 19]. I was not aware of the involvement of local community members in owning slaves and maintaining this horrible and unjust institution, and had thought of western Massachusetts as a center for abolitionism rather than a site for slave owning.
It was also eye-opening to read that slavery’s impacts in our country continue even today. It’s important that the Slavery North Initiative will be not only studying more about slavery in the Northeast United States and Canada, but also sharing what the researchers learn with members of our community. It’s needed that the public understands the extent of local slavery in the process of considering reparations for the terrible things that happened to our fellow community members before slavery was abolished.
Only by understanding history and by facing the implications of past injustice and willful harm can we hope to do better in the future.
Sidney Moss
Northampton