Reflections on Slavery and Colonialism: Then and Now
This week, I set aside time to reflect deeply on the complex histories of slavery and colonialism, revisiting both my education and early teaching experiences as a fifth-grade teacher. Teaching these topics early in my career required me to navigate difficult historical truths while fostering an environment where young students could begin to understand the injustices and systemic impacts that linger even today. This reflection also led me to journal my current beliefs and trace the origins of these convictions.
First and foremost, I must credit my parents for instilling in me the values that frame my perspective. They taught me to love others, act justly, love mercy, and strive to walk humbly with God. Their lessons, paired with how they lived their lives, demonstrated a love that recognized the inherent worth in all people as bearers of God’s image. This foundational belief has shaped how I view human dignity and the moral failures evident in the histories of slavery and colonialism.
Some of my current beliefs include:
- The foundations of the United States: My understanding has long been that the United States was established and developed through one and/or more of the following: forced labor, the expropriation of land from Native populations, and a push to escape the monarchial authority of England. This perception, rooted in the history lessons from my schooling, highlighted how economic advantage and the quest for independence came at the expense of profound human suffering and dispossession. Recently after visiting the National Archives, I have wondered more about the motivations for colonizing America. . . was it truly a pursuit for religious freedom (and other freedoms to escape British oppression)? Did there exist an aversion to monarchial authority, coupled with a desire for economic and social advancement that motivated the colonization of America?
- Modern slavery: One of the hardest truths I’ve come to understand is that slavery is not just a relic of the past. It exists worldwide in various forms. For instance, stories of young Asian girls trafficked into labor, such as working in nail salons to pay off their traffickers, are grim reminders that exploitation continues today. [1] My involvement with organizations like the International Justice Mission (IJM) and The Set Free Movement has reinforced this reality. [2] The Global Slave Index underscores this crisis, mapping modern slavery’s pervasiveness across continents.[3]
- Understanding colonialism: In teaching, I learned that colonialism is not a monolith; it involves different forms and types of control over nations. Colonialism fundamentally revolves around seizing power and resources and reshaping societies for the colonizers’ political and economic gains. This perspective was honed through curriculum materials that I once taught, showing how nations justified domination in the name of “civilization” or progress.
- Shared motivations: It has become clear to me that slavery and colonialism stemmed from the pursuit of power, economic advantage, and capital. These forces fueled exploitation, yet they are not confined to history. The motivations—greed, envy, pride, and contempt—are aspects of human nature that can exist within us all, a sobering truth highlighted in the Bible.
- The misuse of scripture: Another key understanding is that biblical passages about slavery, written in a different cultural and historical context, were often twisted to justify enslavement. This distortion of scripture is something I have encountered in books and films that explore themes of slavery and racism, such as 12 Years a Slave, The Color Purple, and Harriet.
Reflecting on these beliefs has been eye-opening. Slavery and colonialism, at their core, have involved the exploitation of others for personal or national benefit. The films and series that have influenced my views further, from Amistad to The Woman King, each illustrate the brutality and resilience intertwined in these histories.
In my reading for this week, I read Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning by Anglican Priest and theologian, Nigel Biggar, and A Brief History of Slavery by author and historian Jeremy Black. In regards to slavery, Black explores how slavery has been a pervasive part of society and still exists today. He shared a story in the introduction of a twelve-year-old girl sold into slavery in Niger that happened in the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African Salves in 2008. [4] The author highlights overlaps within slavery to include debt bondage, forced work, forced prostitution, and forced marriage. In addition, Black reminds readers of the power of learning from the past and moving forward when he states, “It is valuable to be reminded of the vileness of the control and vulnerability that slavery reflects, but it is also important not to be bounded by past episodes, definitions, and grievances. The curse of the past lies not in what happened, terrible as that is, but rather in an inability to look clearly at the present and to the future”. [5] This statement helped me reframe the atrocities of the past, not remaining fixated on them, but to think more critically about the current and future impacts of slavery.
In conclusion, revisiting these deep-seated convictions is a reminder of why teaching and confronting these topics with honesty is essential. Our understanding of these past and present injustices shapes how we approach justice, mercy, and humility in our own lives and certainly affects how we lead.
[1] Coffee, Brenda. ”Your Nail Salon May be Trafficking in Slave Labor.” 1010Park Place, June 16, 2018,
BBC. “Modern Slavery: Nail salons using trafficked individuals.” January 18, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-42729302.
[2] https://setfreemovement.com/
[3] https://www.walkfree.org/global-slavery-index/map/
[4] Black, Jeremy. A Brief History of Slavery: A New Global History, (London: Constable & Robinson, 2011), 259.
[5] Ibid, 1.
About the Author
Cathy Glei
Cathy Glei serves as an instructional leader and pastor with over 27 years in education and ministry. She is dedicated to discipling others as they grow in their relationship with God, others and the world. Cathy has facilitated numerous professional development sessions, trainings, and workshops in both education and ministry. Passionate about supporting others in uncovering the Creator's design within them, Cathy lives in Michigan with her husband, Steve, and their eight-year-old Springer Spaniel, Otis. Cathy is a mother of three daughters and "Gooma" (grandma) to two adorable grandsons (emphasis on adorable 😊). She enjoys listening and exchanging laughter and stories with others, hanging out with friends, both old and new, as well as being outdoors, enjoying activities such as cycling, camping, hiking, and kayaking.9 responses to “Reflections on Slavery and Colonialism: Then and Now”
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As always, your perspective as an educator adds so much to your post and to my thinking! I’m trying to think back and I certainly learned about slavery as an elementary school student, but I don’t remember ever studying colonialism as a topic on its own. You bring up an important point when you say, “Colonialism is not a monolith.” You also highlight how scripture has been misused to defend both slavery and colonialism. Thanks for drawing our attention to these important points.
Hi Cathy,
What a thoughtful post! I appreciated your perspective as a teacher in addressing these tough realities to elementary age students. I know you are now an instructional coach. How do you help teachers address these and other challenging topics today. Is it different in our current political climate?
Thank you for asking Jenny. Through instructional coaching, I support teachers in reflective practices to evaluate their teaching craft, curriculum resources, and classroom management strategies. Sometimes this involves critically thinking about texts and materials, and their representation of people groups, historical perspectives, and opportunities for discussion. For example, for many years, some classrooms taught about Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and other African American leaders during Black History Month with the exclusion of this instruction at other points in a school year.
I, too, was blessed with great parents who instilled respect for all humanity.
And I agree that so much of what went wrong in history was ‘backed up’ with the Bible. That’s heartbreaking because I’m certain millions of people throuhgout history have turned away from God because of how God’s intentions has been twisted.
As a teacher, do you ever (or often I guess) have to say “I don’t know?” when teaching this stuff? There is such a depth of nuance and grey in the area of colonization that I think I’d be afraid to teach it.
I have to say “I don’t know” a lot actually.
Cathy,
I really enjoyed reading this! It’s clear you’ve done some serious reflecting here, and I love how you’re connecting history with what’s still happening today.
You reminded me of the old adage that if you really want to learn something, teach it. Teaching these topics to young students can’t be easy, just like teaching the ancient Scriptures to a modern culture can be tricky. Especially when the ancient Scriptures say so much about slavery, and more times than not, in the affirmative!
You’ve always have such a thoughtful approach, Cathy. Thanks!
Hi Cathy,
Your reflection on slavery and colonialism is so profound and very insightful. I was so impressed when you told me how you inherited the noble teachings from your parents about the “imago Dei,” which is in all people and made you see others with the perspective of divine love. What you wrote, indeed, radiates from your attitude towards others, including myself, who have a background that is very different from yours. You respect and appreciate everyone in the love of Christ without discrimination. I am grateful for that. I also appreciate it. In your opinion, is the legacy of teachings from your parents still relevant to the modern context today, where many people only care about themselves and feel better than others?
Blessings.
Thank you for asking Dinka. I believe that loving like Jesus is timeless and relevant for ALL time and EVERY context.
Cathy,
This was a well-organized post. I agrree with this passage, you wrote,
“Shared motivations: It has become clear to me that slavery and colonialism stemmed from the pursuit of power, economic advantage, and capital. These forces fueled exploitation, yet they are not confined to history. The motivations—greed, envy, pride, and contempt—are aspects of human nature that can exist within us all, a sobering truth highlighted in the Bible.” Well said, my friend.