Charles Ball
Charles Ball, born Charles Gross, was an enslaved African American from Maryland whose harrowing experiences as a fugitive slave led him to become a significant voice in the abolitionist movement. His most notable work, "Slavery in the United States," published in 1836, provided a firsthand account of the brutal realities of slavery, detailing his own life and the lives of other enslaved individuals. Through vivid storytelling, Ball illuminated the inhumane conditions and the relentless struggle for freedom faced by countless African Americans, making his narrative a crucial part of the literature on slavery in the United States. Ball's writings not only served as a personal testament to his resilience but also contributed to the growing abolitionist sentiment of the time. His work was among the earliest to offer a detailed perspective from an enslaved person's viewpoint, influencing public opinion and sparking discussions about the morality of slavery. Although much of his life remains shrouded in mystery, Charles Ball's legacy endures through his impactful narrative, which continues to be a vital resource for understanding the complexities of American history and the fight for civil rights.
Famous Quotes
View all 15 quotes“I've never been lonely. I've been in a room -- I've felt suicidal. I've been depressed. I've felt awful -- awful beyond all -- but I never felt that one other person could enter that room and cure what was bothering me...or that any number of people could enter that room. In other words, loneliness is something I've never been bothered with because I've always had this terrible itch for solitude. It's being at a party, or at a stadium full of people cheering for something, that I might feel loneliness. I'll quote Ibsen, "The strongest men are the most alone." I've never thought, "Well, some beautiful blonde will come in here and give me a fuck-job, rub my balls, and I'll feel good." No, that won't help. You know the typical crowd, "Wow, it's Friday night, what are you going to do? Just sit there?" Well, yeah. Because there's nothing out there. It's stupidity. Stupid people mingling with stupid people. Let them stupidify themselves. I've never been bothered with the need to rush out into the night. I hid in bars, because I didn't want to hide in factories. That's all. Sorry for all the millions, but I've never been lonely. I like myself. I'm the best form of entertainment I have. Let's drink more wine!””
“Aren't the clouds beautiful? They look like big balls of cotton... I could just lie here all day, and watch them drift by... If you use your imagination, you can see lots of things in the cloud formations... What do you think you see, Linus?""Well, those clouds up there look like the map of the British Honduras on the Caribbean... That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor... And that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the stoning of Stephen... I can see the apostle Paul standing there to one side...""Uh huh... That's very good... What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?""Well, I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsie, but I changed my mind!””
“I have beenhanging hereheadlessfor so longthat the body has forgottenwhyor where or when ithappenedand the toeswalk along in shoesthat do notcareand althoughthe fingersslice things andhold things andmove things andtouchthingssuch asorangesapplesonionsbooksbodiesI am no longerreasonably surewhat these thingsarethey are mostlylikelamplight andfogthen often the hands willgo to thelost headand hold the headlike the hands of achildaround a balla blockair and wood -no teethno thinking partand when a windowblows opento achurchhillwomandogor something singingthe fingers of the handare senseless to vibrationbecause they have noearssenseless to color becausethey have noeyessenseless to smellwithout a nosethey country goes by asnonsensethe continentsthe daylights and eveningsshineon my dirtyfingernailsand in some mirrormy facea block to vanishscuffed part of a child’sballwhile everywheremovesworms and aircraftfires on the landtall violets in sanctitymy hands let go let golet go””
