The Grave of Black Sambo – Lancaster and the Legacy of Slavery
78SAMBO'S GRAVE
Full sixty years the angry winter's wave
Has thundering dashed this bleak and
barren shore
Since Sambo's head laid in this lonely grave
Lies still and ne'er will hear their turmoil more.
Full many a sandbird chirps upon the sod,
And many a moonlight elfin round him trips
Full many a summer's sunbeam warms the
clod
And many a teeming cloud upon him drips.
But still he sleeps - till the awakening sounds,
Of the Archangel's trump new life impart,
Then the Great Judge his approbation founds,
Not on man's colour but his worth of heart
James Watfon Scr. H.Bell del. 1796
Motivated by my friend Coolbreezing, here is my little contribution to Black History Month. It is a tale of the sorrow of the African slave dying unlamented, a long way from his home.
Sambo’s grave is almost unknown outside North Lancashire, but this evocative yet poignant message spans centuries of shameful history. It might not be the greatest piece of poetry, but it at least shows that somebody cared about the fate of this young man.
Before we reflect upon Sambo, it is important to explore a little local history, understanding the involvement of Lancaster in the trafficking of human cargo.
The Location of the Grave
LANCASTER AND THE SLAVE TRADE
Modern day Lancaster is a small and unassuming city in the North West of England, originally built around a Norman castle. It is the county town of Lancashire, and the reigning monarch is officially the Duke of Lancaster, ever since the Wars of the Roses in the 15th Century. Around the castle lie many opulent houses and buildings, constructed during the 18th Century, when St George’s Quay saw the tall ships disgorge bales of cotton sourced from the slave-worked plantations of the US. Hordes of stevedores loaded the empty holds with iron from the nearby Lake District, much of it fashioned into shackles and chains for the next consignment of human misery waiting on the coasts of Africa.
In the 18th Century, Lancaster was a thriving port, not as large as nearby Liverpool, but a major part of the infamous slave triangle. This three-way route consisted of British ships transporting iron, cotton and tobacco to Africa, where the merchants traded those goods for slaves. The Captains transported their human cargo to America, and reloaded with cotton, destined to fuel the huge weaving mills of Lancashire and Yorkshire. This ensured that the holds were filled for all three legs of the voyage, enriching the owners and contributing to the fortunes of Lancaster.
Before the rise of St George’s Quay as the centre of activity, the ships docked at Sunderland point, now a small hamlet at the very tip of the Lune Estuary. It is difficult to equate this small village, huddled against the frequent gales with a trading port, but it served as a stopping point for he Trans-Atlantic ships. Here, they would unload or wait for high-tide and the taverns of Lancaster.
Morecambe bay
Sunderland Point Tour
Sambo's Grave Slideshow
THE STORY OF BLACK SAMBO
Modern Sunderland Point is an isolated place, cut off from the mainland at high tide, and is still home to a few hardy souls. A causeway spans the notorious MorecambeBay mudflats and salt-marshes, and bringing curious and adventurous tourists to the point. Many come to watch the abundant and varied seabirds of MorecambeBay, but others make a pilgrimage to visit the grave of Black Sambo.
Sambo, or Samboo, as the gravestone indicates, is something of an enigma and little is known about his history. He was probably African, and most of the surviving folklore indicates that he was only a boy. In the 18th Century, many Ship’s Captains believed that owning a personal cabin boy was a symbol of wealth and prosperity, the sign of an English gentleman. He arrived at Sunderland Point with his owner, in 1736, where he is believed to have contracted a disease and died.
It is also entirely possible that he froze to death in the harsh Lancastrian winter, which must have been a shock to his un-acclimatised system. Whatever the reason, he was left at the point whilst the ship continued on to Lancaster, and there he died, alone and un-mourned.
An alternative version of the folklore states that he was washed up on the shore, the lone survivor of a ship-wreck, and lived for some years in the village before he died. Unfortunately, little is known about his life or the circumstances leading to his arrival in Lancashire.
Sadly, because he was black and not a Christian, he was not buried in consecrated ground. His body was interred in an unmarked grave behind the village inn, which is now an exposed promontory overlooking the sea. This same trackless sea carried him far from his home and brought him to die in a foreign land.
For over sixty years, the grave was unmarked and largely forgotten, so the story of Sambo could have ended there. Instead, a retired schoolmaster discovered the story and raised some money for a memorial. He also wrote the touching epitaph that now marks the grave. There is anecdotal evidence that the use of the term ‘Sambo’ as a racial slur arose from this grave, a sad and unwanted addition to the history.
Whilst the history books say that Sambo died of a fever, the romantic notion and local folklore states that he died of a broken heart because he had been abandoned by his master. I suspect that it may have been because he missed his home, a lifetime away from the coast of North-West England. Surveying the desolate and windswept beauty of Sunderland Point, that somehow seems to fit the inherent sorrow of the tale.
THE GRAVE OF BLACK SAMBO – NEVER FORGOTTEN
As a school-kid, I remember visiting the grave, placing flowers and saying a prayer for Sambo. Every school in the area takes groups there, and it shows that there is always something redeemable in the human spirit. Britain carries a lot of guilt for the slave trade, quite rightly, and the grave of this lonely young man reminds us of that. It should also remind us that the fight must continue, every day. Thousands of humans are still sold into slavery on a daily basis, and there should be no let up in the struggle against the slavers.
Hopefully, this bleak and desolate storm-lashed shore can teach us all a lesson of tolerance, compassion and human dignity.
A Few Links
- About Phil Long | Phil Long\'s blog - Teletranone
An interesting Blog with lots of information about the North West of England. Phil takes a great photo, and it is well worth a visit. - African slave trade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Morecambe Bay Movie Makers - The Lune Valley : Our Heritage
- Slave Routes - Europe
- http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/morecambe-bay-a-stroll-between-sea-and-sky-407923.html
- Sambo\'s Grave, near Sunderland Point, itself near Lancaster, UK, 24 July, 2005
Photos taken around Sambo's Grave and Sunderland Point, near Lancaster, UK
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Comments
Great read Sufi. I love the mix of poetry and prose and not to mention the well researched content. Thanks for sharing. And i promise to never forget, too :D
Beautifully written and very moving.
It's unimaginable that slavery still thrives to this day. All for the love of money.
Sometimes the thought of the horrors that we humans are capable of inflicting upon each other is unbearable.
A path worth traveled is a path worth knowing. As Black Africans, we did not know whether or not we were coming to a place that would treat us less than Human. We traveled these oceans path fearfully with great skepticism, that it might not be as bad as we thought. Today we have come to know these paths as hurricane Gustav, Ike & others which have started in the Gulf of Africa where the slave trades begin. Thanks for your contribution to black history Sufi, after all you’re not a dreamer as your name suggest. I’m glade to have inspired you because by inspiring you, I have inspired many European descents like yourself whom would rather receive a history lesson from you instead of an African like me.
Greed is evil, my people for many years have shared our tribal affiliation with the freedman giving them all of the rights and benefits of being rolled native americans in the Cherokee tribe. In the 80's the Casino's came and the tribe was flush with money. Those that sought to control this money and it's division feared the vote of the freedman and played dirty pool to deny them their rights as citizens of the tribe. Only in 2006 did the tribal supreme court do the right thing and affirm their rights that had not been in question for over a hundred years when the tribe was bone poor and at the mercy of the white man.
http://indianz.com/News/2006/012846.asp
So, no one I mean no one is immune to the evil of greed. I say this because I often see the love and affection and the admiration people try to heap onto the Native Americans and their ways. Our ways are the human ways and we have the same human weakness, when people feel the need to glorify something that is not real it allows people to do the things that are horrible. This wasn't 1786 this case was in 2006. Thank you for the wonderful hub.
TMG
Thanks for vising, EYEAM - that is probably the most telling part of the story. Even thirty years ago, that was the prevailing attitude. Probably a sign of the inability to admit the guilt by trying to make it appear that he was 'happy' to be a slave. Nobody believes this any more, and English schoolchildren are taught the truth about the slave trade.
The best way to atone for British involvement in the slave trade is to fight against the modern traffickers and make sure that no human is denied the most basic of human rights; Freedom.
Thanks Cris - Glad that you could spare a few moments to read the Hub. All of the stones on the grave were painted by children, out of genuine sadness and empathy for Sambo. It just goes to show - somewhere between childhood and becoming an adult, we mess things up.
CWB - Always good to have your sage counsel. Modern slavery is an abomination - We cannot use ignorance as an excuse in the modern age of mass media and communication. Selling another human's freedom for money is one of the worst crimes possible.
Coolbreezing - Delighted that you could drop by. It is a shame that people are reluctant to listen to Africans talk about their history, although that is slowly changing. People still assume that Africa's history started at the time of slavery, and forget that great civilisations existed on the continent, now hidden by the jungles of the Congo or buried under the sands of the Sahara.
I hope that we will stop seeing it as 'Black' History and instead see it as a vital part of the history of ALL humanity, in the same way that we look at the Ancient Greeks, Babylon and Islam's Golden Age. Thanks for the inspiration - I have enjoyed researching African History and hope to read much more about the subject.
Thanks for the honest comments, TMG. I love Native American history, but that is a lesson to historians that we must not allow romantic notions and Hollywood to sway our research. Greed is a condition shared by all humanity, and I am glad that the Tribal Supreme Court did the right thing.
It is sad that it became an issue - these people earned the right to vote and share in the prosperity. Sadly, using ancestry and bloodline as criteria for inclusion is the downside of nationalism. The love of money has a unique power to divide. :(
fantastic hub, Sufi - I'm really gald you shared a should-not-be-forgotten bit of history with us.
I never heard this story before. Excellent write. Wonderful info and message. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks London Girl - entirely my pleasure. A little piece of local history that has wider meaning!
Thanks for dropping by, Frieda. Like all of the best history, it is tinged with a personal story, miles away from the usual wars, kings and empire building that we learn at school. One day, we may decide to try and learn from history instead of making the same old mistakes.
Very interesting bit of history. Couldn't help but wonder if the Little Black Sambo film and stories that Walt Disney did in 1934 was somehow connected to this? Banned cartoon, books, records, etc. now that are seldom mentioned and I'm sure Disney empire would like to forget.
Thank you for this Sufi--Somehow Sambo's epitaph is a fitting metaphor for all the evils of racism and slavery--evils which have cast a long shadow on us all down to the present day. There is no way to change the past. Perhaps our best shot at not repeating it in the future is to remember. Somehow I am happy to know that somebody cared enough to give Sambo a tombstone and an epitaph and that schoolchildren and tourists regularly visit his grave. Perhaps on some level, he knows as well. I hope so:-)
Thanks Robie - Agree fully. The way to pay homage to the victims of slavery is to stop it happening in the modern world. In this age fo mass media, there is no excuse.
It was good that somebody cared - a visit to the grave teaches more about racism than any book.
Hi Jerilee - Thanks for dropping by.
As far as I am aware, the original Story of Little Black Sambo book, in 1898, was about an Indian boy, and the term was entirely innocent. It is a derivative of Shambu, another name for Shiva. The author appeared to know little about the use of the name as a racist term against black Africans. Sambo in the book was depicted with dark skin because of his Tamil ancestry. When the book crossed to the US, the illustrations were changed to make them appear more like the African stereotype.
This became mixed up with the common use of Sambo as a racial term, stemming from the grave of Sambo. This lead to the films and stories and was a sad misunderstanding of the author's intention. Disney and the other animation houses contributed to this shameful episode - they were certainly not innocent.
Amazing hub! I didn't know about this English aspect of the story. I still remember that back when I was a little girl there was a chain of pancake restaurants in the Midwestern U.S. called "Sambo's". It had a little black boy with a stack of pancakes as the logo and there was a tiger lurking about if I remember right. Hard to believe that was still around in my lifetime.
Man, I'm old!
Hi Pam - thanks for dropping in.
I never knew about that restaurant until I researched the Hub. It still shows that there is work to be done. We stop people using such terms, but changing attitudes is more difficult. Even now, there are still people who believe that Africans are less intelligent, repeating the old and tired propaganda that slavery was 'Doing them a Favour.'
I cannot wait until archaeologists decide to study Africa properly, and uncover the truth - that Africans were doing some sophisticated things long before the slave-ships dropped anchor. That should blow that tired stereotype out of the water.
Sufidreamer: My eyes got wet as I read the story of Sambo and how you placed flowers on his grave. It touches me that this young man's spirit still lives on reminding us that we humans may have grown, but there is still ignorance which leads to racism, fear and hatred. I think the younger generation of today, are so much more open minded and I love this generation, so there is hope for change, even if it's slow.
Thumbs up!
Thanks for visiting, Violet Sun - always a pleasure.
Thank you for the kind words - it is true about the younger generation. They are a lot more tolerant than us, but I fear that we are leaving them with a lot of future problems.
Sambo's grave certainly is a very sad place - I remember the young girls in floods of tears when they heard the story - the boys pretended not to cry. ;) Every family with ancestry in the area benefited from the slave trade, so shares some of the blame. If we can turn that guilt into anger that the trade continues, then that would be the best legacy we can leave for Sambo.
Thanks for the education sufi, Im afraid I've never heard the term sambo in the racial slur context. In here we have a chain of small coffeeshops selling sambos, a chocolate version of the silvannas (which is very close in taste and appearance to the sans rival). Education is still the key to ending ignorance and bigotry, we need to keep these stories flowing and there's still so much to be learned.
Thanks for the kind words, Buddy.
It is strange how words have different meanings in different countries. A word that is harmless in one place can be an insult somewhere else.
Stories are always good - we must learn from the past and move onwards. There is no point in apologising for the vile slave trade if we turn a blind eye to modern human trafficking - the millions of Africans that were ripped from their homes deserve better than that.
Wow, I didn't know Black Sambo was a real person - I always thought it was some kind slur, like the N word.
PS: You made the Naked Hubbers list: http://hubpages.com/hub/Naked-Hubbers-The-Bare-Fac Be sure to let me know if you don'y want your name there and I'll remove it.
Cheers CW
Imust admit, I never knew that the grave was the source of the slur until I did the research.
Glad that the Naked Hubbers are back!
Oh Sufidreamer boy oh boy you sure know how to put a story together.Am I your fan? Don't worry I will go check............(scrolls up with her mouse wheel) yess I am yahoooo.Honestly you are a great writer as well as looking good naked on CW's page.
I am with Constant on this one as I thought it was also a dirty racial slur, I am honored that you brought him to light and educated so many of us on his plight. May he rest in peace and now he is being remembered with dignity!!!:)
Two of Hubpages most beautiful and kindest people in one day! I am extremely flattered.
blondepoet - Thanks for visiting and for the kind words. Coming from you, that is a compliment indeed.
PS - Keep quiet about the naked thing - my mum has been known to read this Hub, lol ;)
Thanks for commenting AEvans - I deeply appreciate your kind words - the UK and the US both share a common guilt for the slave trade. The best way to remember Sambo is to stop the human trafficking that still goes on.
Oh my I am sorry Sufidreamer about talking about the err you know...don't worry my lips are sealed. If you see me next time and I am sort of making a distorted muffled sound, you will know I am wearing my gag hahaha.
If you could possibly send some prawns or crab through my PC, you are also guaranteed silence as I will be in too much ecstasy eating them to even utter a sound. You are so sweet Sufidreamer and when I have more time I look forward to reading some more of your superb stories.
Thanks blondepoet - No worries! My mum is actually pretty chilled about everything - she was a child of the sixties!
No prawns or crab, but the local taverna serves octopus - you want me to pick you some up?
Thanks for the kind words - you are sweet, too and you are making me blush :)
Octopus mmmmm....yahooo...I will just go put on some lippy and grab my purse I will be ready in a hour lol. Sufidreamer you blushing I would love to see that LMAO
Fantastic - I will put my best suit on. Off to the taverna for food and Ouzo. Ouzo makes you smile :)
NICE ARTICLE.
This is good. Informative, well written, and provocative. I would have picked up on it sooner, but my recent accident and PC failure led to a reduction in my activity.
Thanks, maanju.
Thanks for the comment, Iconoclast - always good to receive your input. I hope that everything is OK now, and that the accident and PC failure have no long term repercussions.
What a complete load of nonsense! The village of Sunderland was never involved in the slave trade and Samboo was not a slave! The only facts in this story are that little was known about him. The rest is pure invention!
Thanks for your insightful views, Captain Birdseye.
1) Sunderland was a staging point for ships docking at Lancaster. Are you seriously saying that Lancaster was not part of the slave-triangle? Read some history books and visit the Maritime Museum before displaying your ignorance. Nobody said anything about slaves actually being traded at Sunderland Point - that is a construct of your imagination.
2) I think that you will find that the article states quite clearly that little is known about him. Your inability to read further reinforces the idea that your views are largely worthless.
Such a heartfelt and touching story both the poor little stolen then abandoned child, and the sinking island. Wonderful that the teacher memorialized Sambo. Most of us are forgotten eventually.
Thanks, Dolores - it really is a heartbreaking tale. It is great that there is a memorial, and it is a constant reminder to us all.
Most of us are forgotten, but if we can make our moment in history a slightly better place, then all is not lost.
I always wondered about the story of Sambo...apparently there was a restaurant named after either the deceased, or after the slur. Understandably, when the Civil Rights Act was passed, the restaurant was closed down.
TMG: The Native American-owned casinos were a huge part of Arizona, where I was raised, as well. Some certain people wanted to take that much-needed money away from the casinos...this would be in 2004 or 2005, I don't remember the exact year. Needless to say, a lot of people in Arizona, white or Native, were not pleased with that attempted action. They voted for a portion of the profits to be put into the area's schools instead of going into the pockets of individuals.. :)
Thanks for visiting, Miranda - good to see you.
It is amazing how much things have changed in the space of a few decades. Hopefully, it will continue :)
back to our roots eh?????? thought you had starting writing poetry after all ..... great hub as always, is the kitten o.k.
Hi Brenda - always a pleasure to see my favourite beautiful Lancashire lass!
You really don't want to read my poetry - the muse passed me by, and my poetry is absolutely awful. I prefer to use pencils and sketch pad to express my feelings :)
The kitten is doing great, thanks - he likes to attack my feet!
I greatly appreciate the part you have played in restoring the dignity of this young man. For me, this article has been very inspirational and educational.
Thank You, And Continue To Be Blessed
Thanks for the kind words, thefount - they mean a lot. It is only a small piece of history, but every human has the right to a little dignity. Blessings to you and your good work, also :)
A look at some of the early Hollywood movies on blacks need to be cleared and cleaned-up. The image of Sambo runs the gamut form the early nineteen hundreds to present day sitcoms. It would be interesting to expose this image of blacks which adds up to the racial stereotypes we see of Obama with wild hair, red lips lots of watermelons and chicken, with words like, 'Lawd, I sho' loves Campainnin' . This images abound in the world of images of the Tea party Mobs against Obama. This issue of an image of a people needs to be addressed and corrected in some way.
Hi ixwa - thanks for commenting. I did reply yesterday but it seems to have gone to the electronic graveyard in the sky!
Sadly, it seems like there will always be a lunatic fringe - we have them in Europe, too. There are still people who think that it is acceptable to use such portrayals and I find that to be very sad. I am sure that the vast majority of Americans are not racist, but those images leave a nasty taste.
Most people who disagree with the current incumbent have perfectly valid reasons for doing so, and it is a shame that they are dragged into the whole race thing by a very vocal and twisted minority. Mind you, if I was on a march and saw that type of imagery, I would quickly disassociate myself.
Like you, I dream of a world where racism is a long forgotten term - maybe it is an unattainable goal, but I will strive with every fibre of my being to make it happen.
Best wishes :)
I had heard the name,Sambo, used throughout my life but never knew where it came from. There was a restaurant named "Sambo's" in Richmond Indiana years ago.
Wonderful hub...now I know...thanks! :)
Thanks for dropping by and for the kind words, Tom - Glad that you found the Hub useful - luckily, we have moved a long way since then.
Enjoy the day :)
Sufi, I am enjoying my visit to your part of the 'hubberverse' and I was delighted to read the story of 'Samboo'. Thank you for sharing. I wish that this was not a part of history...but, it is good to learn from it and ensure that it is not repeated.
Thanks, AIDY - great to see you. You always leave such uplifting comments. It is a sad tale, but there is always some hope amongst the sadness.
Here's to a better future :)
EYEAM4ANARCHY says:
10 months ago
Very intersting story. Obviously I've heard of the term "Sambo," but I hadn't ever heard of this origin for it. It's actually an interesting view into the attitudes of the past that a prevailing theory was that he died from a broken heart because he supossedly missed the guy who kidnapped him and enslaved him.