Former slave Jordan Anderson used irony to reject his former master’s work request
The existence of slavery is one of the darkest aspects of past centuries. It is inconceivable today to buy and sell people simply because their skin is a different color. In the U.S., slavery was abolished in 1865 after the Thirteenth Amendment was adopted as part of the Constitution.
Understandably, very few formerly enslaved people looked at their previous owners with good memories. When Jordan Anderson was asked if he would return to work for his old master, he used irony to drive his point home. His letter became a perfect example of the period’s “slave humor.”