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It Began With Water by Shirley Jones Luke



It Began with Water


It began with water. It began with bodies in the water. It began with African bodies in the water. It began with dead African bodies in the water.


It began with a ship. It began with a ship carrying human cargo. It began with a ship carrying Africans. It began with a ship carrying a cargo of Africans who became sick.


It began with a decision. It began with a decision by the captain. It began with a decision by a Dutch captain. It began with a decision by a Dutch captain to throw dead & dying Africans into the water.


It began with moans & screams. It began with the moans & screams of Africans. It began with the moans & screams of African women & children. It began with the moans & screams of African women & children as they witnessed their family & friends brought up on deck.


It began with a splash. It began with many splashes. It began with several splashes scattering the fish in the water. It began with an abundance of splashes scattering the fish as bodies disrupted the silent sea.


It began with water. It ended with death.

Death became freedom.

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