Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Final - Essay Example the operational command of the Allied forces, which included the US forces under the directive of the Supreme Commanders for the South East Asia (Charles, 42) The Truman doctrine stated that the US would provide aid to people anywhere in the globe who fall victims of attempted subjugation by armed minorities of external pressures, however, the Berlin Blockade that saw the Soviet Union cut off the rails and highways delayed the implementation process. The US started airlifting aid up to 1949, when the USSR lifted the blockade. This followed that, the western powers pulled out of Germany and allowed the creation of the West Germany and the USSR reciprocated by allowing the creation of the East Germany. This trend hampered the Truman doctrine (Charles, 51). The Bay of Pigs, Laos, Berlin, the Cuban missile crisis and war at Vietnam formed the flexible response. The test of flexible response on Vietnam was applied by force. There was not strategic planning and implementation and this led to the defeat and humiliation of the US forces (Charles,

U.S. Homeland Security and the Business, Government and Society Essay

U.S. Homeland Security and the Business, Government and Society - Essay Example Thus the phrase- â€Å"Homeland security†; this phrase may appear relatively new but was actually coined after a series of attacks against US and its nationals around the world during 1980s and 1990s. The U.S. military now defines homeland security as "the preparation for, prevention of, deterrence of preemption of, defense against, and response to threats and aggressions directed toward U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population and infrastructure; as well as crisis management, consequence management, and other domestic civil support." (1) The definition has two important constituents namely homeland defense and civil support. Homeland defense is seen as the "protection of U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population, and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression," whereas while civil support is described as "support to U.S. civil authorities for domestic emergencies, and for designated law enforcement and other activities." (2) During the Clinton administration, homeland security was an important but passively discussed issue. By the time Clinton’s term ended, the notion of homeland security revolves around "national missile defense, counterterrorism, WMD preparedness, consequence management of WMD events and protection against cyber attacks." (3) The three main components of any counterterrorism strategy would thus form the basis for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. These components were later clearly identified by President Bushs National Strategy for Homeland Security as "1) prevent terrorist attacks within the United States; 2) reduce Americas vulnerability to terrorism; and 3) minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur." (4) If Clinton administration had basically been passive about national security, then Bush administration did nothing concrete either in the first few months of entering

Financial Analysis of Ted Baker & Burberry Essay Example for Free

Financial Analysis of Ted Baker Burberry Essay INTRODUCTION Burberry is a global luxury brand offering menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, coats, dresses, shoes, accessories, bags, scarves, beauty and fragrance. The quintessentially British brand was first founded as an outerwear brand, well known for its iconic Burberry trench coat and distinct tartan print. The brand has over 497 directly operated stores and concessions operating in 32 countries; and via a third-party distribution network- 70 franchise stores in an additional 28 countries and approximately 1,400 wholesale department and specialty store doors in over 80 countries (as at 31 March 2014). The brand continues to develop its presence in existing and  under-penetrated markets. THE BASICS Burberry was founded by Thomas Burberry in 1855 in Hamphire England and remained an independent company until 1955, when it was taken over by Great Universal Studios (GUS). In 2005, GUS divested its remaining interest in Burberry. Burberry Group PLC was initially floated on the London Stock Exchange in July 2002. In 2013/2014, Burberry had a turnover of  £2,330 million (up 16.5% from the previous year), recording a profit before tax of  £461 million (up 7.7% from the previous year). The company employs 9698 employees across 34 countries and is headquartered in London. The accounts are presented in GBP, which is Burberrys functional currency. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker BRBY with a market capitalization of GBP6822.43 Million. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU. The accounts have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with no reservations. MANAGEMENT CHANGES On the management side, the most significant change is the departure CEO Angela Ahrendt in April 2014 who left Burberry (to join Apple). Ahrendt the CEO since 2006 has lead the successful transformation of the company, tripling revenue three-fold during her tenure. Ahrendt was succeeded by Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) who has been with Burberry since 2001. Bailey holds the roles of CEO and CCO and his appointment as CEO is considered a natural progression. Other important changes include, the changes of the CFO and COO, and the appointment of three new non-executive directors. The new board appointments focus on evolving the Boards relevant skills and competencies for the future under its succession plan. THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT After three years of double digit growth, analyst estimated that the luxury sector growth slowed to 2% in 2013. This was in part due to a slowdown in China (the worlds 4th largest luxury market), in light of government policy changes on gift giving and the Chinese consumer increasingly shifting luxury consumption abroad (which has in turn help drive luxury sales in the rest of Asia and Europe). Whilst Burberry is a luxury brand, note that its growing beauty and fragrance lines are attainable luxury and has the capacity for resilience in unfavourable economic conditions. Burberrys five strategic themes which have sustained its growth during the period include:[1: Claudia DArpizio, Bain Report: Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study Spring 2014 ]

Social Stratification Is A Sociological Phenomenon Sociology Essay

Social Stratification Is A Sociological Phenomenon Sociology Essay Social stratification is a sociological phenomenon in which people in the society are placed in different ranks with reference to same economic conditions. Normally, there are those of high standard and others of a low standard. Social stratification borrows classification from earth sciences and thus it refers to its classes as strata. The difference in economic characteristics of persons leads to domination of power by one group to another. Social Stratification is characterized by four core principles namely; Social stratification has been said to be transferable from generation to another. Every generation adopts the classifications that had been set by a generation that preceded. Social stratification is a societal characteristic and not an individual view. The society forms a uniform way of grading persons which is not a sole persons objective. Social stratification is said to be universal and also variable. Though this statement seems contradictory, it means that classification is uniform in a certain society but will vary when compared with other societies. Lastly, social stratification is not all about equality of persons, but also the beliefs that they hold. This means that social classes in the society are also based on common beliefs. The classification of the society into various ranks brings about inequality. In the western communities, social stratification adopts three key stratas; the upper, middle and lower class. It is due to these classes that inequality is developed. Those of upper class view themselves as superior and having more prestige compared to their counterparts in lower ranks. Therefore, sharing of common resources in the society is based on the stratification ranks. Inequality is a social evil that emanates from social stratification. Origins of the Social Stratification theory The above theory is said to have emanated from the Judaeo-Christian Bible which presents the social idea of the Greeks. Though the idea was not extremely straightforward at the beginning, it has gone through various transformations to the present day where it presents itself clearly. The sociological view of Social stratification and inequality Various sociologists have had different views and interpretations on social stratification. For instance, Talcott Parsons who was an American sociologist emphasized that stability of social stratas is partly influenced by universal values. On a different note, Marxism identifies unequal distribution of resources and limited mobility to be factors of stratified societies. However, numerous sociologists have had a uniform view with reference to the fact that the wealthy in the society control the political power. In such a case, the poor ought to submit to orders from the rich. Several sociologists had diverse views on the origin and form of the social stratification theory. Below are some of these sociologists and various discussions regarding each one of them. Karl Marx In his theory of Marxism, Karl asserted that social stratification in the society is based on the way people are related to the factors of production. In such, there exist two different categories of persons; those that own the factors of production and those who labor for the owner of the factors of production. The classification by Karl Marx seems to be inadequate especially in the current view of economics. This is because there exist various aspects of the present economy that have been left untackled by the Marxism theory. For instance; it does not provide accurate categorization as to productive, occupational and economic aspects of the society. Modern scholars of economics have said that the issue of social stratifications requires in depth classifications other than the generalized one provided for by the Marxism theory. In fact, theories behind social stratification need to draw a clear cut between the economic aspects of skilled and unskilled labor, owning and managing a bu siness and also between business and professional occupational roles. Secondly, the Marxism theory appears to be so generalized to an extent that it overlooks various vital social-structural phenomena that are o great influence in the society. These include ethnic affiliations, kinship and lineage affiliations. Modern sociologists have however not ignored these crucial aspects the way Marx did. Thirdly, the theory of Marx on social stratification seems to be so limited in defining the role of cultural factors in social classification. Cultural factors include legal practices, religious norms and scientific ideas among others. It is crucial to note that science has played a key role in maintaining social classes. In summary, Mar defined the relationship between people and property as the key aspect behind social stratification. Max Weber Weber was thrilled by the propositions of his predecessor, Marx, and hence he thought of making corrections to Marxs theory. Weber designed a model based on status, class and a more explicit and systematic differentiation with reference to social stratification. Unlike Marx who identified property to be the sole determining factor in social stratification, Weber identified status and class as additional factors. Weber build an interconnected model that would define the relationship between these three factors. Any of the factors can affect the other two, and in any case any of these factors can be replaced with another. In his model, Weber also did not cover several key influencing factors like education, ethnic and kinship factors. Below are the definitions that Weber gave to his three factors of influence; He defined class as an individuals economic position in the society with reference to birth and their personal achievement. Secondly, he defined status as the position occupied by an individual in the society as a result of their social honor, popularity and prestige. Weber also defined power as the ability of an individual to progress despite various factors offering resistance in the society. Wright Mills Wright sought to advance Webers thoughts on social stratification with no discrimination whatsoever. Similar to Weber, he identified power to be economic oriented but in addition to be influenced by political and military domains. Through his famous book titled The Power Elite, Mills brings out a clear connection between political power and social statas in the society. He asserted that the very power embodied persons occupy a certain class in the society. In order to keep themselves relevant in the society, the power elite tend to develop close ties in ideas, work and marital issues. To him, the power elite is clearly defined in education institutions whereby the persons of the high status group attend prominent schools thus preparing them for high class tertiary schools. Conceptual model to Social Stratification A conceptual model for the current nature of social stratification ought to be multidimensional. It should have considerable measurement techniques and be flexible to accommodate various ideological biases. There appears to be two factors that have led to the resistance of such a conceptual model. These are ideological and methodological oriented. Looking at ideological issues, we find sociologists who still hold on to the traditional ways of classifying people. They want to maintain definitions that are simple clear and self explanatory. However, simple definitions have proved to be incompetent in the current nature of society that presents changing and complex situations. With reference to methodology aspects, scientists have had fear of exploring a multidimensional concept because they fear the complex resources and methods that could be involved. The more differentiated a model is, the more involving it will be in terms of equipments needed to analyze and the processes that will be involved. New ideas have not been explored by sociologist researchers who have committed themselves in exploring simple models hence there is still a lot to be explored. Studies by the Hindu caste society show that there is a necessity for a multidimensional model. Various dimensions of stratification are closely related to one another but this does not mean that they are not exclusively autonomous. For instance, such dimensions as power, prestige, income and education are in a way related to one another. However, in some cases, it can be noted that power is independent of the other factors. In fact, in certain circumstances, power may be attained irrespective of occupational prestige. Again, a certain level of education grounds may not be strong enough if not accompanied by money. The key role of a multidimensional model is to address issues of interdependence and independence of social stratification factors. Key dimensions of Social Stratification Power As defined earlier in this paper and with reference to Karl Marx, power refers to the ability to pursue goals despite resisting factors. Power will be addressed with reference to size and various natures of societies. The degree of division of labor in the society is related to the way typical social classes will be formed. Power exists in two diverse forms; legitimate and illegitimate and hence there cannot be established a direct relation between power and social stratification. Occupational prestige The various productive roles in the society are accorded different level of prestige. It has been evident that though societies may be different, there will always exist a similarity in the way they accord prestige to various occupations. For instance; some professions like law, medicine and pilot are given a high level of prestige because they are associated with good amounts of money. The vaiability of the way occupations are valued is dependent on the way the society values those occupations. Therefore, it is vital to note that prestige accorded to various occupations will differ with reference to the values of the societal setting. Income/Wealth Wealth plays a extremely significant role in social stratification. Whether earned or inherited, wealth will impact the type of class that a person will occupy in the society. Various profession and business roles in the society offer diverse opportunities in accumulating wealth. Sometimes, the so high ranked roles have proven to accumulate low wealth when compared to low prestige roles. Looking at the example of a professional doctor who uses intellect and professionalism to accumulate his wealth yet he may not gather a lot like a bandit. The latter can accumulate in one night, money equal to that a professional doctor earns in an entire month. When money is used as the determining factor in social stratification, business and professional roles lack relevance. Social stratification on basis of income influences to a significant extent other dimensions of societal classification. For instance; the level of education gained by a person may be determined by the relative amount of income they have. Disposable income has also not been left out in studying how it influences social stratification. Family and ethnicity The status of kinship groups and family lineage plays a vital role in determining the social classes in the society. Not once and not twice have persons been seen as wealthy and hence prestigious because their fore fathers were wealthy. The role played by a family in the society in terms of monetary contribution and influence holds a significant support as to why it holds a certain class in the society. The class occupied by a certain family in the society determines the social class it occupies and hence the kind of treatment they will be accorded by the entire society. Family and ethnic position do not however hold a one to one relationship in far as social stratification is concerned. Local community status Individuals and families do not live in isolations or in islands in the society. Their day to day activities are influenced by norms set by the nature of the community. Families and individuals by extension are given placed under certain social classes due to the way the society operates. The position of local community in the society is determined by the nature of influence it has on the entire community. Modern Stratification Systems In the contemporary world, there exists three key systems of stratification whish are; slavery, the caste system and the class system. Despite various laws disregarding slavery, many people in the world today live in conditions that can be classified as slavery. Slavery is still eminent in nations such as Ghana, Benin and Mauritania among others. Also, Asia has been mentioned numerously for prevalent cases in sex slavery. Caste System The above is a social system that is based on characteristics and traits those persons posses as virtue of their birth. These traits include body type, race, gender and age among others. The caste system is said to be a rigid one. This means that it assigns various unchangeable castes to persons which cannot be varied. However, persons have in various situations tried to change their ascribed statuses by lying about their age, changing nationality or performing plastic surgery but not at all times do these attempts yield positive results. Class system Class system classifies persons with reference to statuses that they have earned and not those that they were born with. Persons born in a certain social class can choose their careers, education level and spouses. The class system is characterized by social mobility nature. Social mobility refers to the act of moving either up or down the various social strata. Conclusion Every society has various classes that are generally assumed by members of the society based on various factors. Common held belief in the society model the way a society sets up these classes. Most common factors that determine classification are education and knowledge, power, prestige, and religion among other factors. Sociologists have formed various theories to address the determining factors of social stratification though no one theory seems to have provided comprehensive coverage. Every society exhibits unique factors and believes, but there exists a close relationship between the way these diverse factors influence social stratification.

Advances in Research on Plant Genetic Resources of Mexico :: Ecology Ecological Nature Mexico Essays

Advances in Research on Plant Genetic Resources of Mexico We read in this book that in Mexico can be found 30,000 of the 250,000 species of higher plants so far described. Between 5,000 to 7,000 of Mexican species are deemed to be of economic use, and of these, 1,000 to 1,500 are edible. According to a conservative estimate cited here, 10% of genera and 52% of species found in Mexico are endemic. This makes Mexico, a country that ranks 14th globally in terms of territorial extension, the fourth country in terms of biodiversity. It is therefore evident that an understanding of Mexican flora, in conjunction with effective strategies for use and preservation, is of first importance for our plant-dependant, agricultural world. Contributors to this work argue for this and more: 1) the urgency of halting degradation of biological and cultural environments that are closely tied to the use and preservation of many important ecotypes, 2) the significance of social issues that affect the viability of ways of life that have created, and that maintain, important stores of the world's genetic diversity, 3) the need for coordinated strategies and action between national initiatives and those of international germplasm agencies. It is satisfying to see Mexican scientists earnestly wrestling with such issues. The book consists of the proceedings of the third meeting on Mexican biodiversity (8-9 February, 1990), organized jointly by the Mexican Society of Plant Genetics (SOMEFI) and the Botanical Garden of Mexico's national university (UNAM). Strongly represented are top researchers from UNAM's Biology department, from the agricultural university of Chapingo, from the national agricultural research agency (INIFAP), and from the PostGraduate College, Mexico's premiere institutions for the study of ecological and agricultural sciences. Significantly, the book is dedicated to one of the foremost authorities on Mexican flora and traditional farming systems, Efraim Hernà ¡ndez Xolocotzi, who was to die a year after presenting the lead paper at this conference. The proceedings have been well edited for book format. Text is in Spanish, with a summary provided for each chapter in Spanish and excellent English. The book is organized into six major sections, including papers on the general philosophy of biodiversity preservation, regional studies, basic studies, the policies of international preservation societies, and a succinct summary of the discussions of the symposium. However, the pith of the book is the third section, consisting of depth reviews of current germplasm status for several major species of useful Mexican plants, including: Zea, Phaseolus, Amaranthus, Capsicum, Cucurbita, Physalis, Sechium, Persea, Crataegus, Agave, and several medicinal species.

Freedom, Patriarchy, and Racial Oppression Essay example -- United Sta

Freedom, Patriarchy, and Racial Oppression The French philosopher Jean-Paul Sarte is known to have established existentialism in France after the liberation of Paris in 1944. Existentialism is the philosophy that states that the values people choose influences the choices they make and how they interpret the meanings of their decisions. When existentialism was introduced in the United States, it challenged Americans to access their ethical standards from a different perspective. America is associated with being "The land of the free". However, the American society has set standards on women's roles and racial castes and until these oppressions are eliminated the entire society will never have freedom. What is freedom? Freedom, as defined by Krisnamurti, is a state of mind in which there is no fear or compulsion, no urge to be secure. In the American society there is a need for security and there is fear. People conform to society's ideas to feel secure and fear being different, fear thinking on their own to set their own standards and choose their own values. Sartre's existentialist view of freedom is that it preexists value choices. Because people do not freely choose and follow their values, society creates ideals that control their views in life. These ideals are supposed to maintain order in society by showing everyone their place, but these ideals displace what society should stand for and prevent people from freedom. Should people follow societybs norm or become existentialists and think on their own? Society has set limits on gender roles with ideals such as male privilege and patriarchy. Patriarchy is the political structure to control womenbs thoughts on their sexuality, laboring, and place in society so... ... the exact abilities that they have and that those views and values weakening society. They could choose new values that would allow equal opportunity for all people and a better society would be able to come into existence. Minorities could use an existentialist perspective to improve their standards of themselves. The American ideals on patriarchy, male privilege, and race will continue to oppress the entire society from freedom until these views can be changed as people realize what freedom really is. People must first free themselves from society's views by realizing that they have a negative affect on everyone. They must freely choose their own values. When people in society assess their ethical standards from a new perspective and become existentialist, freedom will preexist value choices and people will choose values with the equality of everyone in mind.

A Runaway Slave on the Underground Railroad Essay

The heat here is terrible. Sticky, thick heat that sticks to your skin and clothes and makes it hard to breathe. The mosquitoes only make it worse. They don’t even wait for nightfall to come out anymore, but buzz around all day and torment us out in the cotton fields. I’ve got welts from their bites all up and down my arms and legs, and I’m afraid it won’t be long before there’s a yellow fever epidemic. As you know, it’ll be the babies that go first if that happens, poor little things. Clara just had her fourth last month, and Ether had her third just this week. There’s no rest for them, though. No, they had to be up and in those fields again the very next day after giving birth, carrying their little babies with them. You know we have to work from dawn to dusk, with only a short break to eat in the middle of the day. The overseers are always watching us, always so quick to strike out at us with the whip if they think we’re slacking off or not working hard enough or fast enough. We get so hot and tired and thirsty in those cotton fields, but there’s little in the way of relief except for a barrel of water with a ladle we all get to share from. I wish I was one of the house slaves, then I could be out of this heat and sun beating down on my back. The house slaves are treated a lot better than we are. They get to raise the white children and cook the meals and do the laundry, and become almost a part of the family. Oh, those white children love their black nannies! But I guess I’m not smart enough or pretty enough to be kept in the house. I’ve got another baby on the way, my second. I hope this one lives. I’ve determined to get out of here. I can’t go on like this. I hear there are people who will help. You’re lucky, Aunt, that you had a kind master who gave you your freedom, and that you found a good man to marry and take you up North where you can be free. If I find a way out of here, can I stay with you until I find work and a place to live? I’ve got to go now and take this letter to the house slave from the farm next door who will mail this for me. I can’t let anyone see me go, and I can’t let anyone know I can read and write a letter. That’s illegal here, did you know. Slaves aren’t supposed to be educated. So, I’ve got to sneak over there in cover of darkness. I hope to write to you again soon. Your loving niece, Libby July 17, 1853 Charleston, South Carolina Dear Aunt Betsey, The house slave from next door I told you about, remember him? His name is Milton. He’s the father of my baby, but as you know, slaves aren’t allowed to marry here. Anyway, he tells me he knows some people who will help me escape. They’re good people, he says, white people who hate slavery. They will get me off the plantation and to a safe house somewhere. Then the people at that house will get me to another house, and so on, all the way up to the North. I’m going to tell them that I want to go to my aunt Betsey Martin’s house in New Bedford, Massachusetts. I hope that’s all right. I hear New Bedford has a large population of us colored folks, and that we live right along with the white people there, side by side (McKivigan, 1999). I also hear there are good job opportunities, and that my baby can go to school with the white children. I don’t know when all of this is going to take place, so I can’t give you a time yet that I might be there, if this all works out and I don’t get shot trying to escape, or dragged back here to be whipped nearly to death, or worse. I admit, I’m scared of what might happen, but I have to try, for me and for my baby. Milton says he will follow me, as soon as he can. Your loving niece, Libby September 23, 1853 Ashville, North Carolina Dear Aunt Betsey, Well, I did it! I escaped the plantation. Three nights ago, I snuck over to Milton’s farm like I always do. I had packed a little bundle of most of my belongings that I slung over my shoulder. It wasn’t much. Just one other dress (my good one), some handkerchiefs, a hair brush, and some hard tack to eat, that was all. I knew if all went well, I wouldn’t be coming back. I won’t miss that plantation at all. I have no ties there, as you know. No family, since I was sold from the plantation where my mama and papa and brothers and sisters were 5 years ago. They sold my brothers and sisters at the same time as me, and I have no idea where they went. I guess I should count us lucky we got to stay together until I was 13. Not many slaves are that lucky. I’ve just been living in a cramped cabin with 5 other slave women with no family on the plantation, and they don’t care much what I do. They know I have a beau next door, and they keep quiet about my comings and goings, as most of them have beaus of their own they have to sneak out to see. At Milton’s farm, there were two white men and a white woman waiting inside Milton’s cabin. Milton lives on the edge of the property, near the fence, so no one from the house was likely to see the horses standing outside the cabin, and all the lanterns were blown out to make it extra dark besides. These white people were there to take me to a safe house in North Carolina. They had a horse for me, and some food in a little basket. I said my good-byes to Milton as quickly as I could, and he promised to come to me as soon as I was settled. Then, I got on my horse (I was scared, as I’d never ridden a horse before) and followed the white people on their horses into the woods. In two days, we came to the home of a nice store keeper and his wife, and they hustled me inside, where I’ve been staying in a nice, clean, cool bedroom with a real quilt on the bed and a wash basin to wash my face in the morning and water to drink whenever I want it. The woman of the house even gave me a new dress to wear. I’ve never felt so good, so clean. I’m to stay here until a new group of people comes to take me to the next stop. The woman of the house here said I’m now on the Underground Railroad. That’s what they call these safe houses along the way to the North (â€Å"What Was the Underground Railroad? †, n. d. ). The Underground Railroad. I like the sound of that. It’s the Underground Railroad to freedom. Your loving niece, Libby October 6, 1853 Alexandria, Virginia Dear Aunt Betsey, I think I am getting closer to you. One of the children in my new safe house showed me a map of the United States and showed me where I am now and where you are. On a map, it does not look so far away, but I fear the journey is still many miles yet. There was such a commotion in North Carolina, you would not believe! About a week after I escaped the plantation, a group of armed men came riding through town, putting up signs with a drawing of me on them, announcing a runaway slave and a reward for my return. The woman of the safe house dressed me up as a man, and hid me in her attic until the men had ridden through town, just in case they should come inside looking for me. They did not come in, thanks be to the Lord, but they did ask a the door if anyone had seen me. I was so afraid I would be given up for the reward, but these were good people who were protecting me. I never went outside the house, even to go to the outhouse, so there was never any chance of being seen and recognized by one of the townsfolk (I had a chamber pot for my use, and it was the job of one of the children to empty all the chamber pots every morning). I don’t remember how many days I was in the North Carolina safe house. One night, though, two free black women came to get me, and we walked together into the woods. We walked and walked, sleeping during the day and walking at night when it was easier to be invisible. They told me I was lucky, that most slaves who escaped the plantations didn’t have anyone to help them until they got further north. They said the Underground Railroad didn’t have too many operations in the South, at least not yet, and that most slaves were on their own in getting to that first stop on the Railroad (Blackett, 2002). I was lucky to have Milton, who knew the right people. These free women lived in New York state, but they were former slaves themselves, and they made it their business to help other slaves to escape to freedom like they did. They said they made many runs along the railroad to collect people, like they were doing for me. We must have walked for a week, but I lost track of the exact amount of time. Fortunately, I’m not showing in my pregnancy yet, so I don’t have a huge belly to carry around with me, and I can still run pretty fast when I have to. We’ve been lucky in that we haven’t encountered those men who were looking for me, and the only thing we ever had to run from is the occasional skunk or wild boar. I think god is looking out for me on this journey. We got to the next safe house in Alexandria in the middle of the night, just like before. This time, it was a family of Quakers who took me in. Quakers are some of the most active Christian abolitionists involved in the Railroad (Wallis, 1983). I found that I was not the only slave waiting to be taken North. There were six others waiting, three men, a younger boy who was almost a man, and two women. We stayed all together in the barn, but it was a nice barn, clean and full of sweet-smelling straw for us to lay on, and we were fed three large meals a day. We didn’t have to do any work. The family wanted us to learn a different way of life, one where we didn’t have to do all the work all the time. They wanted us to experience getting waited on. I must admit, it was strange, but it felt strange in North Carolina, too. I liked it, but I think it’s going to take some getting used to before not doing everything myself begins to feel anything less than strange. Your loving niece, Libby