Teach the Children of Slaves

Maria Caine was born right at the time the slaves on the Island of Jamaica, had risen up and gained their freedom. With freedom though, there was still no guarantee of equality. Her lighter colored skin gave her the appearance of being of Spanish decent, yet those around her didn't look at her as being either black or white. As a child growing up in the 1840's Maria was hungry for an education and possibly a better life. Her days, during childhood were spent hiding outside the windows at the local school and trying to follow every word the teachers taught inside. Determined to get an education she grew up wanting to then teach the children of former slaves to at least read a little and maybe do a few numbers.

From a small run-down shack where she lived with her sick mother, Maria started running Saturday morning classes for the children. Former slave owners were enraged by this. First they had been forced to free the slaves, then pay them to work at the sugar mills, but with just a little education, the former slaves now knew that they had been getting cheated for years on what they should have been getting paid.

Steps were taking to silence Maria and her teaching, which she ignored. As a last resort, men were hired who kidnap Maria and take her to southern States to force her back into slavery.

A black slave, living in a new country, with no friends, or family, was not a good position to be in. Something as simple as walking around is near impossible for Maria because of former injuries, she received from former masters. As the years pass, her only dream is to return to her island home, and help the children get an education. To give them a fair chance to have a normal life.