Slavery was not confined by race. It was not defined or created by race. It existed for thousands of years. A history professor once had a student come up to him and ask, ‘When did slavery begin?’ The real question is: when did freedom begin? Slavery existed as long as we have records. From archaeological findings, we know that people were enslaving other people before they could read or write. It has always existed and has existed all over the world. The number of White people enslaved by pirates in North Africa was greater than the number of Africans brought to the United States. And yet, that’s not even mentioned.
— Thomas Sowell, C-SPAN Interview
Verified — Primary Source
Wear the words
"Read Sowell" Tee
$24.95USD
View →Related Quotes
“What was peculiar about the West was not that it participated in the worldwide evil of slavery, but that it later abolished that evil, not only in Western societies but also in oth...”
Black Rednecks and White Liberals (2005)
Read →“Blacks were not enslaved because they were black but because they were available. Slavery has existed in the world for thousands of years. Whites enslaved other whites in Europe fo...”
The Benefits and Hypocrisy of Playing the Slavery Card (1995)
Read →“More whites were brought as slaves to North Africa than blacks brought as slaves to the United States or to the 13 colonies from which it was formed. White slaves were still being...”
The Real History of Slavery (2004)
Read →Join thousands of Sowell fans. New quotes, new gear, and the stuff I don’t post on Facebook.
Wear the words.
Browse the collection →