Dear Thomas Holt,

You can control print, by producing a newspaper and taking out advertisements against your slaves. You think this gives you control over other people and allows you to write the narrative and reshape men into commodities. I am here to tell you you are wrong.
I, too, was able to create stories and spread my view. My stories, however were in the grand tradition of "African raconteur[s]". I did not just tell recount my journeys on both sides of the Atlantic but instead "rewrote the history of the Middle Passage".
Do not think that your accusations against Charles Roberts were effective. Your attempts to change his substance through various advertisements have failed in the eyes of time. We both have our own stories and have had our own audiences. Despite your power, your print, your skin color, both of our narratives have stood the test of time.

Sincerly,
Money Vose


Questions:
1)Do you think that Benito Cereno is racist, pro-slavery or abolitionist, anti-racist? Does it matter? How does its ambiguous presentation affect its meaning?

2) Both "Reading the Runaways" and "Black Jacks" rely heavily, as historical papers, on written documents. Both also contain an understanding and discussion of the limits of access to writing for Black people, especially slaves. How does reliance on text hinder our understanding of history?