Horrible Truth: Over 800 Slaves at Middleton Place Plantation ONLY 1 Set Free (part 1) van life vlog

The story of Middleton Place Plantation is one of the most shameful and dark episodes in our nation's history. Middleton Place Plantation was established by Henry Middleton and during its time the Middleton family owned over 800 slaves on the 65-acre plantation. Only 2 were ever set free. I was overwhelmed and emotional setting foot inside the slave quarters and houses. To see where the slaves lived, how the slaves lived, and what they were made to do on the plantation was shocking to see it in person. This is where my van life travel vlog took me today in Charleston, SC.
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Hi, I'm Amber and in May 2017 I started full time RV living. I started this nomadic journey after selling my house and all my belongings to pursue this crazy dream of traveling full time in an RV and creating incredible memories.
After 1 year of traveling, I sold my 26 foot Winnebago Class C RV for a more nimble Class B van on a Promaster 2500 chassis. Now in my 4th year of RVing in my camper van, I'm still loving this RV lifestyle and being a digital nomad. I almost always boondock in nature and really enjoy that off grid living.
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#middleplaceplantation #slavehomes #vanlifetravelvlog

[@mjohn7577]

As an African American I appreciate you taking a moment to acknowledge the people who were enslaved and died...Thank You

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Menyon Johnson You're so welcome. 😊🙏

[@texasbk1333]

Being from the south, I enjoy videos about the old plantations. And instead of NOT showing them (which is part of the new culture) I appreciate them being shown but showing the WHOLE story, not just the fluff but the real story. Thank you

[@regenalouis7338]

Yes yes Menyon..Amber was brave to walk this path and post the video. It takes skills and compassion to post a video like this..but she did it with compassion and thats how you handle such topic.

[@beverlybalius9303]

You must visit the Whitney Plantation in Louisiana,,,, It is dedicated to the Slaves,,,, It tells the whole story not just the Pretty House,but all the cabins, grounds, barns, etc. and how the work was done, also about the uprisings. Very Educational

[@nomadicfanatic]

Yup, you're sharing American history. Nobody is 100% proud of their past, but to forget it is to pretend it never happened. Change is good. It's healthy. Thanks for sharing this.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Nomadic Fanatic 😊 Thanks Eric. Totally agree. I'm surprised at how many people hate that I posted this video. Why because I showed a history? Factual history. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ I'll never understand.

[@emack2127]

Well said

[@MelanatednNature]

I concur

[@moehansen6858]

Yup, American history is like sooo many other countrys' histories down through the ages, (3,000 plus years) of Indians, Whites, Africans, Arabs to name a few, who kidnapped and enslaving all races. The American slave trade was a fraction of the slave trade that went on for centuries. Very important period of time, however.

[@sandyallen1488]

That is a horrible truth. I was forever changed after a visit to Oak Alley Plantation. They now say enslaved people … it changes the meaning and they did not sugar coat the history. We need to remember🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Yep I saw them doing things like that this plantation too. It was pretty disgusting.

[@joannewhitman313]

It is a horrible truth and we cannot change history so we need to REMEMBER.

[@gretafortenberry5285]

@@AmberJBaldwin I have visited Middleton several times, on my own adventures and with school or Church groups. You know why a few wordings or things are changed.....because unhappy people press for it and the government says change things to not offend anyone. Sorry but the truth is life. And life is history. It was never like that for many many years in the beginning. People need to stop trying to press their views on others. And for you, I enjoyed your videos but after today I will not watch them anymore. Until you have an understanding of history and what went on in those days then you need to stop giving your opinions. Let others visit and form their own opinions. Slavery was not good. But as the lady said...it was the times back then. Stop trying to tear history down and LEARN from it. You are not a history teacher. You are like some of the liberal professors at colleges who teach their beliefs and opinions but leave out the real facts. I am not unset with you personally but I am sick and tired of people who want things to look as if we can change it now. You never change history...You learn from it.

[@kburkes4245]

Thank you for telling the truth about the plantation system. 800 souls kept in bondage. 800 souls who had no choices. People torn away from their home and culture. Family split up and children sold away from their parents. Truly a shameful part of American history.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

You’re so welcome Kate. Yeah it was a bit hard to take in while I was there. I still can’t imagine people going through this.

[@TravelingSolo]

Visiting these places is one of the best ways to lift the veil and realize what they really mean. I grew up in an openly racist part of Oklahoma and as a kid, I had no idea what I was watching. When I was able to comprehend it later after we had moved away, it helped shape the way I treat people. These are tough subjects, but it’s quite an education.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Traveling Solo Thank you and very well said! 😊

[@regenalouis7338]

Yes yes traveling solo...tough subjects but definitely need to be addressed..thank you Amber..you are a compassionate and brave soul.

[@lolasaxby1399]

As a nurse, my patients would tell me their life story (I became a nurse in the ‘70’s and worked in North Carolina and upstate New York) when the slaves were freed, they knew nothing. They were born here. All of their family history was in Africa and their parents who were just kids when they became parents knew nothing of Africa. It was so sad. So after they were free, they had (SOME) no home, no money, no skills other than labor jobs and no food source. People who were their friends prior to release & had helped them escape via the Underground Railroad couldn’t help support them. Life was so hard for them! As much as I love seeing the plantations, I am overcome with extreme sadness knowing what really made those buildings. Looking at you like you had three heads for asking about sharing the wealth goes to show how white privilege is still impacting us today. We can’t hate each other for what our ancestors did as they are not us. We can and should practice loving kindness to everyone and recognize that we still have a very long way to go in terms of equality. Thank you for sharing the real story behind those plantations.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Lola Saxby Thanks for sharing your story. 😊

[@Sam16mee]

Thank you for sharing.

[@suma6473]

So well said, Lola.

[@sumofme1]

My family came to the states after the slave era, I come from mixed family, I've never had white privilege please stop that's racist, stop the madness.

[@emack2127]

Well said

[@tarac5137]

Human’s inhumanity to other humans can be truly befuddling.

[@shirleywilliams-hall9437]

I agree with you. “More inhumanity has been done by man himself than any other of nature's causes.” (Samuel Freiherr von Pufendorf (8 January 1632 - 26 October 1694))

[@tarac5137]

@@shirleywilliams-hall9437 a sad truth. 😢

[@stevenevosando8840]

Just as the the Bible says ! The heart of man is evil continually!

[@404_skynotfound7]

As you may remember, I commented on another video asking you to acknowledge the true history of the places you visit. I am incredibly thankful to you for showing this today. As hard as it was to watch, I can only imagine how hard to was to walk through. The bloodstains might have been washed away but the spirit lives on.

[@annazrelli4487]

We are thankful to Amber for showing this and I agree with you, it was hard to watch. Amber is such a kind hearted person who was clearly upset by what she saw, as we all are.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Yes I do remember your comment and that’s why I said you should wait till this video comes out because I had already recorded all of that before you made that comment. There’s more to come. Yeah it was a very very difficult place to be in. The entire plantation was absolutely stunning and beautiful but seeing how big this place was and how many slaves they owned and knowing that their lives are forever changed by being there was really emotional. I asked the historian, which didn’t make it into this video, if the family actually transferred any of their wealth to the families existing now that were Descendants of slaves. She looked at me like I had three heads.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

I’m glad that you were able to watch it Anna.

[@CritterSitterofCary]

I live in the south. Although the.money now goes to a non profit, I would not give my money to them. That place has very bad vibes. I would stay with Lily!

[@jacquelineconquest6218]

@@AmberJBaldwin Thankyou, Amber for your compassion and wisdom to understand the degree of impossible imprisonment circumstance a person had to endure as a slave. and especially, slapping some reality check into the feeble brain and put a crack into the bubble of the "historian". what perspective of history is she willing to acknowledge and parrot? this is why research is important and not seeing from one frame of reference but to be compassionate to everyone as if you were sitting in their skin.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

💕💕💕 This is a very emotional topic surrounding the history of the United States. Let’s please keep it civilized in here with the comments, no political talk, no hate speech, and no hating on each other. Before you respond, think about whether you’d say that to your most cherished person in that way. If the answer is no, then just try to rephrase to get your opinion and point across so that we all can digest it a little bit better and really hear you. I’m going to allow the comments to be open right now, but if I start to see it get out of control I’ll have to delete comments or turn comments off altogether. Let’s please show the world that we can have a discussion without hate and politics. Please respect the rules of this community. Thank you. 💕💕💕💕

[@kburkes4245]

I did make a comment below, if it's too abrasive let me know and I'll remove it.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Hi Kate your comment was fine. Stating an opinion it’s always going to be fine As long as it’s not filled with hate speech and nasty comments about other people. I can’t actually imagine you doing that Kate.

[@onedaycloser2872]

I also made a statement, I don’t normally make comments on my views... if you need me to delete please let me know. ✌️

[@FEARNoMore]

I do have to express hate for the $50 dollar entrance fee. lol This isn't Disneyland, the family shouldn't make more money off of their brutal history. Unless they donate it to black organizations or education or at least let black people in for free. lol Ok, done with my rant. Sorry. ;)

[@jeremyjackson8196]

Why does slavery only seem an emotional topic today in the US? Why has the rest of the world moved on from its slave past even though it would be hard to find a country or region on the planet that didn't participate in the slave trade somewhere in it's history? Why do Americans pretend to be against slavery but turn a blind eye to countries who today still own and sell slaves?

[@njanderson4342]

The reason everything was ornate is because it was to show wealth, fashion and they didn't have to lift a finger to clean anything themselves. They had slaves for that.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

nj anderson 😊 Yup exactly.

[@tiffanygalvan5187]

Just went to Middleton yesterday and all the slave houses were destroyed during the war, that house was a freedman dwelling occupied by their last resident Eliza Leach. The tours are great and informative, they give great info on all the animals, the buildings and the enslaved.

[@vsgtrek]

I was at Middleton last year and while a beautiful place, the reality of what happened there was so overwhelmingly emotional, I was crying and physically got sick ..on the one hand it is disgusting... but, it is viscerally educational in a way that really hits you ... as it should. Anyone who walks into that slave house with the huge list of slaves on the wall and isn’t emotionally affected has no heart . It is one of the most important places I’ve ever visited . We should never forget or make it easy for people to digest it. Historically amazing place!

[@AmberJBaldwin]

VSG Trek Thanks for sharing your story. 😊

[@brandoncorley3142]

Yay your in Charleston!!! Middleton plantation gardens are beautiful. The south is beautiful but we have a very ugly past. Sadly it still haunts us.

[@pg2984]

Thank you!! I am a descendant of slaves and have never visited a plantation. I hear it can be emotional. Your entire video was amazing and appreciated. From the moment you drove onto the property until the end. My emotions got me, couldn’t take my teary eyes off of the screen. Watching you get emotional in the slave houses put me down to the pillow crying. Again THANK YOU, there is no way to fully express the appreciation for what you did here, most thankful!

[@jaydeshon3617]

Wow, this is a first! Amber I saw your heart…..to see true human emotion and compassion in a day like this is heartwarming. Thank you for sharing your light!

[@BeachBalance]

Amber I believe we’ve all had the luxury of others hard work our entire lives. Each time we purchase a product made in China or other countries that do not value humanity we participate in slavery. The sad truth is people turn a blind eye even today.

[@seabliss22]

I never thought of it that way. Thank you for showing me.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

BeachBalance 😊 Yes absolutely true.

[@thebordenkw486]

@Lauren LaRose LOL.. Yup, barely undetectable microagression in her post. I'm sure it's untentional, but good catch. When we bring up something to point out that 'we're all guilty of slavery' because it happens today via other exploitation, we lose sight, and we minimize the horror, of what slavery actually was. I can't be hard on people for not realizing it, because I'm sometimes guilty of making similar comments, but it's a teachable moment for us all in reading comments like this.

[@pbird2010]

Great video. Any normal, well-balanced human would agree that owning another human and forced labor is horrific, then and now. Love how you are not afraid to show your emotions and let all the empath feels come across.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

p bird You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@Banagal]

Your presentation of this area was spot-on. I was sent to a West Africa county a few years ago for a project and saw many elite have what they call "boys" they own to work on their property and home. My eyes and ears popped and my stomach turned to see how they can treat their own. The "quarters" however were better than in the 1800's. This shocked me to the core. I knew the source of slave trade to the US, but to see it first hand was appalling.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Ramona DeLaney 😊 I cannot even imagine seeing that Ramona!!!! Still to this day!! UGH! I'm appalled and sad and just don't understand why people have to be so ugly.

[@jentommyontheroad8089]

I’m so glad you presented the tragic history of plantations like this one. I became very emotional right along with you!

[@gardnep]

One of your best vlogs. So glad you understood the impacts of slavery. Discrimination continues and there are still many slaves in the world.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Philip Gardner Thank you very much! 😊🙏

[@annazrelli4487]

Thank you for yet another informative and moving video. You showed great sensitivity. Lily dreaming melts my heart 🥰

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Anna Zrelli You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏 awww my Lily girl.

[@samanthaclark8108]

There is no greater evil that I have ever learned of than what one human can do to another. What you have seen in the Southeast is only a scratch at the surface. To an extent some of it still goes on. I grew up in the Southeast. It is beautiful. I don't live there. The best we can do is learn from the mistakes and evils of our Nation's often unspoken past and work to never repeat them. You have a very kind soul that emits beautiful light. Make sure you take care of you.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Samantha Clark Thank you very much! 😊🙏

[@regenalouis7338]

I am originally from the deep south..born and reared in the south. The past is so ugly but the reality is as African American we are still not free we just aren't in physical chains. Thanks Amber for taking us on this trip.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Regena Louis You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@kburkes4245]

I'm hopeful that things will finally change for people of color in this country. You've waited long enough 😔

[@wali_wingnut240]

Well I disagree with your statement. The truth is the only thing holding anyone back in this country this day in age is their own mentality and willingness to put in the hard work to succeed.

[@FEARNoMore]

@@wali_wingnut240 I would agree with that if it were an even playing field. If everyone had an equal shot & given the same help people with privilege get. Sadly, society isn't equal for everyone, some have to work much, much harder just to get to the same place others with connections or the right look get. Getting access to the right education, nutrition, tools, opportunities just isn't available to every person. Race, gender, sexuality & geographic location still matters today. So it isn't just a problem with being motivated.

[@gretafortenberry5285]

When you visit the Southern Plantations most do not hide the history of the area or land. What people tend to forget is that the times were so different those many years ago. Just the same as the times were during the Viking times which also had slaves. All that can happen is to make things better as we go along. We live in SC. We have visited so many of the historical places especially the Charleston Plantations. Even after living here all my life I learn so much as I explore my wonderful state. I feel I had to explore my state before trying to move onto other states. Things have changed over the years and continues to change for the better. There is good and bad everywhere you visit but you have to remember you are supposed to learn from history not dwell on it or become stagnant.

[@michellestratford9753]

So cool! My degree in History makes me salivate and turn green with envy. Those poor, poor people😢 I also keep expecting Jamie Fraser to come round a corner unexpectedly. You are truly living an amazing life💖🚙🇨🇦

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Michelle Stratford 😊 How that's a cool degree. I bet you're loving this historical walk through. Have you been to any places like this?

[@PopFizzPaperDani]

Idk if I could pay to visit a plantation, and I will never understand how people still get married at them. You’d never see one take place at a concentration camp - to me, plantations aren’t very different.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ I saw this as well on their website that people could get married there. I honestly couldn’t believe it myself either.

[@melissachavez4210]

There are a lot of things that go on in this world that I understand, but to each their own.

[@estherstephens1858]

Hi Amber, as I watch your older videos (playing catch up as a new sub) I scrolled passed this one several times because I knew it would be hard to watch. Can you imagine what the slave quarters REALLY looked like? This @10:20 is BEAUTIFUL compared to what they had. Thank you for being so compassionate. 😭😭😭

[@PeacefulOne1]

I have family from South Carolina and what your doing is so beneficial for the world to see. Thank you

[@standraiveyjones3670]

Amber you are so brave and thank you for sharing your humanity. People who shrug their shoulders and say “ that’s the way it was back then” always sadden me. Thank you for the tour. As an African American it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you again😘🦋

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Standra Ivey Jones You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@danielbowser7768]

Well, it was the way it was back then. Are you going to go back in time and change it? Confederate generals were against slavery, what is not taught, is the South were already talking about abolishing slavery. We never talk about the slaves who were treated like family by most plantation owners. Alot of slaves stuck around and worked for the same "owners" after they were freed, now why do you think that is? What pissed them off, was the federal government is not going to invade our states and tell us what laws to have and not have, whatever it may be, that's tyranny. We now have the same thing with abortion. States can legalize murder of the unborn or not. Hopefully some states won't be hypocrites when its time to vote on that subject on a state level. Slavery is abhorrent, and it should never have happened, but it did, and by keeping that history alive, it reminds us never to repeat it.

[@heathereusden3029]

Thank you for sharing the horror and truth of this physically beautiful home built upon the violent nightmare of slavery. I have been to Mount Vernon and Monticello and was forever changed by the experience. Kierkegaard said ”Life must be lived forwards, but can only be understood backwards."

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Heather Eusden Thank you and very well said! 😊

[@TammyMartinBLUE]

The ropes you see around the bed actually crisis cross & that's where "sleep right" comes from. Can you imagine how uncomfortable it would be when the ropes stretched.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Tammy Martin 😊 Oh wow..didn't know that.

[@manniefresh5478]

💜💜💜💜 thank you and understanding of your points. Keep up the good work.

[@okrantomatoes]

Thank you for showing compassion....what maybe the past for "some" still mean generational curses for others- which is passed on to the present. As much as I am a history buff- I cannot get my family to visit these plantations..and I understand why. I go to honor my ancestors.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Okra N Tomatoes You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@lolasaxby1399]

So true @Okra N Tomatoes! Generational curse is a good way to phrase it. Just as Amber talks to the trees and feels their spirit, when I saw those plantations, I felt so sad for those victims! I could feel the overwhelming bondage in the air. Still today, African Americans are held to a lower socioeconomic culture of expectation. I’m so happy for those that have excelled past it and raise them up in high esteem. Some of the physicians I worked with were able to break free but even they still have to deal with racism.

[@auntmaryspals7978]

I've always wanted to visit that area of the country. Thank you for taking us on a tour.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

You’re so welcome.

[@ThePearlist1]

Ive been binge watching your channel and when you were visiting all these plantations I was wondering if you were going to acknowledge the HORRIFIC history of Slavery that occurred in the Southern states. I definitely want to visit these places as well. As an African American Woman, Thank you for acknowledging this part of American history. #DallasLadyTrucker 🚛🚛🚛🚛....

[@genesnyder2985]

While I agree it was wrong I just can’t put myself in the shoes of those that lived it At least so far no one is trying to remove this history so hopefully we never repeat it

[@jillmidthune9932]

Thanks Amber for focusing on the slavery history and not downplaying its significance. Too many want it swept under the rug these days.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Jill Midthune You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@maryfeiten884]

Thank you for view and info.. Love Charleston. 😊

[@deannachurch1103]

We've never been to Middleton Place Plantation in our travels to the low country. We will be in South Carolina this Summer and have now put Middleton on our must visit because of your video. Thank you again Amber. Well done.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Deanna Church You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@adriansanders1702]

BEAUTIFUL POST!

[@patriciapeters5526]

EXCELLENT VIDEO Thanks for sharing I’ll probably never get to go there. I’m glad you expressed your thoughts and feelings. I was right there with you. You are awesome Amber.

[@loridouglas4521]

Wow, thank you for sharing!!

[@AmberJBaldwin]

You bet!

[@christined5885]

Thank you so much for mentioning these historic events. Especially, if you are travelling through the South, slavery cannot be ignored or sugar coated! Also, does the Scenic Highways book suggest interesting places of interest?

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Christine D You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏 Yup it has all kinds of places to visit all the way.

[@michaelbellastravelchannel7491]

Thank you for sharing this part of history, being a history buff, I found this enlightening 👍🤠🐕🙏❤

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@williamthawley9251]

glad you got to see the plantation, our tour guide actually traced her family history back to the plantation. a friend in my home town, with the last name of middleton, and so does he. drayton was really nice.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

William Thawley 😊

[@Snickers_GLNY]

You do a really nice job! Great video.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

snickersglny Thank you very much! 😊🙏

[@Snickers_GLNY]

@@AmberJBaldwin you're very welcome!

[@davidseabrook9808]

Thanks Amber for telling some of the true history! But it is amazing to me how other videos always tell the story of how well the slave owners lived! However, many historians today advocate for calling these places “labor camps” or “slave labor camps” or "forced labor camps" rather than “plantations,” in order to avoid hiding the truth of what really happened in these agricultural operations using forced labor. The story is not told about how the plantation owners became so wealthy and able to build these homes nor how the enslaved people were whipped, raped, and treated as livestock.

[@yc3613]

Been on tours of several plantations. Became enraged over the number of times a tour included a statement from the guide about how well the owners treated their slaves. Ran the numbers on so some places where the tour included statements of what the planters made or how much was spent on their homes. Bottom line is these people could have paid living wages + benefits to the enslaved but their arrogance and greed got in the way. No excuses. BTW, shocked to see a bed in the slave quarters. It wasn’t unusual for multiple families to occupy a small space and sleep on the floor. Meanwhile, slaves pulled moss from the trees, boiled it and picked out the bugs and debris, dried out the moss and used it to stuff beds in the big house. The whole system was/is indefensible.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Y C 😊 Yeah it's pretty disgusting. They tried that here too.

[@marianfrances4959]

Human history is outrageous. We aŕe not a superior species. Thanks for the tour. 👍🇨🇦😉💜

[@AmberJBaldwin]

marian frances You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@sandrarandall6574]

Thanks for sharing!

[@sallyperez1513]

Thank you for sharing very informative history we never learn in our history books in school..🙏📖💙👍

[@beachkatz9639]

The history of this place is very sad, I love going to places like that but I get so emotional thinking of who touched those walls or who laid in that bed and was staring at the ceiling wishing to escape, who or why did someone come up with the idea that it was ok to own a human being and people went along with it I’m constantly stunned at the ways of the past our founding fathers were seriously messed up. I’m a believer that we need to learn from our past so we don’t repeat it.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Shelly Brown-sellers 😊 Yes, agreed.

[@jmos96]

Thank you for this powerful and compelling video and thank you for being such a compassionate human being.

[@annazrelli4487]

I second your comment 🥰

[@AmberJBaldwin]

J Mos You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@phiac9122]

I love your video. Thank you for sharing. As an African American who is studying our history, I’d like to clarify something that we have all been taught. In Africa at the time of slavery there were several kingdoms. They often went to war with each other and captured people from the other kingdom. They were sold to the Portuguese, British, etc. as prisoners of war. At the time, it was unknown what was happening to the prisoners of war that were being sold. African kingdoms (there were 100’s) all spoke different languages so it was kind of hard to spread the word about what was happening once it was discovered. Just a little update on history. Thank you again for sharing this.

[@flexmasterson4297]

I’m reading Laura Locoul Gores memories of Laura Plantation and have been studying the plantation system for many years. It’s unacceptable by today’s standards to approve of enslaving another human but it was not the case in many parts of the world before the American Civil War. And what stories are omitted in US dialogue but not African and world dialogue are the stories of the Black African tribes that initially enslaved the Africans that they sold to create and feed and profit from the Atlantic slave trade to the US, or of the quite common Black slave traders and owners in the South. That’s is as important as any other part of the story. Europeans were not safe or welcome in the interior of Africa o capture human beings to enslave and that was entirely the product of African tribes and, later, war lords. We also get an I complete picture of what slavery was like for the enslaved people, which can be found, at least so far as written history captured, by reading the Slave Narratives from the 30s. UNESCO has an excellent several,part series on the history of Africa that teaches of these matters and of other triumphs and exploits on the continent.

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

I used to work there I was a volunteer in the Stableyards, then the Spinner/weaver/dyer). There's definitely presences there. Best felt when the place is deserted. The Slave Cemetery (so called. Some were buried across Ashley River Road, on what is now private property) is right behind the Carriage House. A couple of things: the list of enslaved Africans is a list of all of the people owned by all of the different branches of the family. There are no slave quarters left. Eliza's House is a Freedman's cabin. There was only one signer of the Declaration (Arthur).

[@B-6996]

You would really be appalled if you knew how slave labor was utilized to obtain the rubber for those RV tires.

[@energygirl_444]

Looks like another place for me to stop on my road trip - thanks for sharing

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Keri Lynn Stroum You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@G.Photogirl]

I for one am ashamed at the dark history of slavery in our country, and the continued examples that echo today of racism, discrimination, and inequality against African Americans. This isn't a political issue, it's a human rights issue. Yes, slavery is a part of our history, but that doesn't make it right. Thank you for showing us these locations to remind us never to forget.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

G. Photogirl You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@user-dm9ks2vs7g]

I can't travel to these places. So thank you for going and it's like you took me with you by filming what was there. Thank you

[@catherinewylie6959]

Thank you for this. I loved my two visits to that area but never went to see a plantation. Some years ago, I moved to Asheville, NC and took a trip to the Orangeburg area of SC. Today, after seeing a 60 Minutes video about how a black family ended up owning the plantation home that their ancestors were enslaved in (in Virginia), it reminded me of my trip to Orangeburg. I still have vivid memeoris of driving past those old plantations on an overcast day with the cotton blowing across the highway. I am not from the South and it really affected me. I am a solo road tripper and someday hope to have a nice camper van and travel more often. Your channel inspires me to at least put together some videos of my adventures.

[@immersivesoundscapes4443]

You have a beautiful, and compassionate soul.

[@chadparsons1972]

The history, though most of it, is very sad that took place on those plantations is amazing and never be forgotten. They are hollowed ground.

[@syckindahead]

Thanks foe the video on this Middleton Place; reminds me of how little I explored Charleston area when I lived in Beaufort. Orange is my favorite color too! Happy Belated Birthday Amber! 9:04 almost like a statue 11:28-1304 it's educational and draining at the same time

[@gnpl]

I can't find part 2. Can you send me the link Mrs.?

[@Jstwatching]

Thank you for not romanticizing the evils of plantations.

[@bethb5076]

It’s hard to imagine how they justified those horrors during that time period. So much injustice then and still many injustices now. Thank you for sharing. This looks like a history rich place that sparks a lot of thoughts and debates.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Beth B You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@lindajohnson4204]

They justified it, the same way that business executives, today, justify the things they do, because, supposedly, their only obligation is to the "bottom line". I say this as a Christian: it is never true to say that our only obligation is to make as much money as possible. Unpaid labor will always be the "easy", low over-head way to make more money, IF you don't care about the human lives you run over in the process. We have an obligation to other people, and to God, not to take advantage of people when they are at a disadvantage, much less to put them at a disadvantage in the first place. People will abuse other people, but we should never say it is right to do so.

[@gregorylenton8200]

another great show

[@AmberJBaldwin]

gregory lenton Thank you very much! 😊🙏

[@ETINFL60]

Thanks for sharing

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Eddie T You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@georgewestbrook1681]

Amber thanks for posting your video .... but so sad ✝️

[@asheedagifts3851]

Each one teach one. Thanks for sharing.

[@jhemnes1]

When I was on vacation the people I stayed with went through my journal and old phones then took screen shots and sent them to people. Then texted me and told me it wasn't working out I had to come move. I had to drive 2000 miles back...go by pick up my dogs and am staying in a trailer that has been abandoned for three years. I don't understand people at all. They were so jealous that I went to meet Bob Wells and was doing a test run on being a nomad and was thriving at it. I am going after my dream...they work to tear dreams apart. I Will prevail!!!

[@TheViewfromBethlehem]

"That's the way it was back then." I'm not sure what you would have wanted her to say. You went to the plantation to get a better understanding of the history of the Old South and perhaps it became real to you for the first time. However, those of us who have lived in the South have been acutely aware of the sins of the past for as long as we have lived here. Southerners are proud. And while it is important that these historical eras not be forgotten, they are proud of today's South and how far it has come. Your points of reference may have been totally different after you seeing, for the first time, three hundred year old history through the prism of 2021.

[@TracieClaiborne]

Well said!

[@57msdeb]

It’s important to study history, especially the ugly parts. We would never want to go down those paths again!

[@happykalyana3174]

Thank you. Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺

[@AmberJBaldwin]

You’re so welcome exclamation

[@jeremyjackson8196]

I always find it odd how so many Americans seem enraged or saddened by slavery in the US over 150 years ago but stand idly by as slave markets still exist today threw out Africa and the Middle East.

[@PoliticalAbstract]

Don't downplay my history...

[@PoliticalAbstract]

Because some of you idiots barely acknowledge the horrors of slavery...my ancestors were enslaved...

[@jeremyjackson8196]

@PoliticalAbstract what history?

[@rhondapowell2029]

Love your channel 👌

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Thank you so much 😀

[@debmann5168]

Loved this video. The music and the places you are visiting are wonderful. The Carolinas are so beautiful - love the foliage. I cannot even comment on the human species and what a disappointment to the world we have been as a whole. Anyway, have a nice evening. I was wondering if that gas shortage drama was affecting you?

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Deb Mann Thank you very much! 😊🙏 Yup it is effecting me. I'm in NC 🤦🏻‍♀️.

[@Eyesis_1]

I have visited all three of those plantations and locations. Thank you for acknowledging that wrong took place then and in many ways continues, to date, against American Decendants of Slavery. Funny that you mentioned The Constitution and "We the people...." WE-were not considered people or even fully human by those fine folks (strong sarcasm on that fine). I'm going to get off my soapbox here, but again THANK YOU for acknowledging and saying it out loud in that space. As far as those cyber bullies-Send'em a virtual smack. 😆 Stay safe and TFS💖.

[@susanmeredith5456]

How was the dog after being stuck in the hot rv all that time? And is it an RV or just a VAN???

[@wali_wingnut240]

The first country in the world to abolish slavery and to have it agreed upon before the sining of the Declaration of Independence. The first country in history to go into a civil war to end slavery. A shame people today can not understand that. Also a shame how some people have forgotten all the things accomplished in the 1960s and 1970 by Martin King. Greatest country on earth for freedom. After serving in the military and spending time in some other countries you begin to really appreciate what we have here in the USA.

[@TravelingSolo]

Just to be accurate, the anti slavery clause drafted by Jefferson for the Declaration of Independence was removed before the document was signed.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Wali_Wingnut Thank you very much! 😊🙏

[@wali_wingnut240]

@@TravelingSolo Jeffersons was but there was that was agreed upon and signed by all states that slavery and selling of slaves in the US would be abolished after 1808. The southern states decided to go against the agreement they signed and decided to leave the Union over it.

[@TravelingSolo]

@@wali_wingnut240 You’re referring to the prohibition of the importation of slaves internationally. That took effect the beginning of 1808, but it had no effect on domestic slave trade at that time.

[@TravelingSolo]

@@wali_wingnut240 just as an aside, the Civil War didn’t start because the southern states decided to renege on the agreement, it was primarily over whether the government could abolish slave trade in territories that had not yet become states (and related issues around state rights and the abolition movement in general.)

[@chyna-rayne]

This is very insightful and appreciated. A quick question why is it we couldn’t see inside off the main house out of respect for the family, but was able to see the slave house ?

[@maxineoliver7404]

Awwh, Lily!💤🐕 I hope you're having sweet dreams!🦴 I know, right! And they have a crane(or something , I think🚜), That was definitely not a safe way to cross! You have that same type of love and affection when talking to the animals as you do with Lily! I think it's awesome!🤗🥰 I feel that in having this History honestly told, and that there is recognition(in this History), we will gain more knowledge, understanding, and it will not all be in vain. It's now, a time for us to heal.💗🌺

[@AmberJBaldwin]

maxine oliver ahhh...yes I totally agree. 💕Thank you!

[@Nytea1982]

I didn't catch your name, mam'.... but I am happy to see how empathetic you are to what our ancestors went through. God bless!! 💗 😊

[@Angie-GoneSoon]

Which coffee did you get? That sticky bun looked interesting 🤔

[@heidiwilkerson8995]

The dog sounds like he has the hick ups! Which means he's not getting enuf water intake, which isn't safe for his kidneys! Give him lots of daily 💦 , not just food.😢 poor dog.

[@sheilahackney6214]

I love Charleston it's beautiful! The plantations are something to see...but it is so emotional and sad when you understand what really happened😭 Thanks for your videos and taking us along with you👍🥰💕

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Sheila Hackney You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@sarasilverman3587]

What a Fantastic video!!!! (I Definitely understand the emotions!!!!) and.... agreed!!!! I don’t “get it”!!!!! A Firm Believer In “Lifting Folks Up”..... = Kindness Is “Key”!!!! Thanks Amber & as always.... wishing you & Lily Safe travels!!!! Hugs to you both! 💌

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Sara Silverman You're so welcome and glad you enjoyed it. 😊🙏

[@ontruthsside9293]

Child slavery is still going on in Haiti, today. Many of the child slaves are not even given clothes.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

That is truly awful!

[@regenalouis7338]

Restaveks in Haiti 🇭🇹 is a sad situation but honestly most Haitians are poor and living the life of poverty. The intent is a family that has more resources take the child ..feed and cloth them for the exchange for labor.

[@MelanatednNature]

It's mostly definitely a cop out . Glad you called that out. I've been to a plantation and it was not pleasant. What's crazy is that they are still profiting off of enslaved individuals pain smh.

[@kivaphilpot2575]

I did a ancestry DNA and my ancestors were brought to South Carolina from Nigeria,Cameroon, mali,western bantu in 1750 it was just amazing to know this

[@judyholiday1794]

I was checking out your channel and came across this video..I live on Ashley River Rd. Here in Charleston,SC..I love my beautiful city and I feel like the slave history gives it an unfair judgement sometimes..I hate that such a horrible time happened in our history ..It literally breaks my heart, and enrages me whenever, I think about the abuses that was committed to those innocent people..I recommend Charleston to everyone we have so much more beautiful things to offer so please come and explore I promise you will not be disappointed.. ☺️

[@mygypsyadventure3610]

Sadly that same hate continues today. People who owned slaves did not see them as human. They viewed them as less than and so they saw nothing wrong with treatening them as chattle. I am of Japanese heritage and we all know what happend to the Japanese Americans during WWII so history does not seem to teach us anything. Hate and prejudice seems to survive in the hearts and minds of humans and rears its ugly head regularly. Maybe someday we will all become enlightened and learn to stop seeing each other as the enemy.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

My Gypsy Adventure Thanks for sharing your story. 😊 I absolutely agree with you. I wish it were different. We can all do our part though which is what I'm trying to do here on my channel.

[@kristinemoore3447]

I love Drayton Hall. The house is intact. The house at Middleton place is only part of the original. I recommend that you check out the historic Chapels of Ease. Some of those churches are 17th and 18th century.

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Kristine Moore Thank you very much! 😊🙏

[@echang1572]

Wonderful lady…❤️❤️❤️ and still going on all over the world.

[@jdeedawyre8040]

I past by this place everyday never knew 🤦🏾‍♂️ thanks for video I will be going by to visit personally

[@sparksessence]

"Where is Tiffany" is doing a life, that I just joined and she mentioned you! Happy Birthday wishes to you. Thank you for sharing the history of the way Africans were trafficked to this land, and treated so horribly! Much respect for your honesty!

[@AmberJBaldwin]

Hi there. Yeah I popped into her live stream real quick. Mine starts in an hour if you’re interested. Thanks so much for you kind comments.

[@sparksessence]

@@AmberJBaldwin I went to your live stream and saw the love that was shown to you!

[@CellasChariot]

Thank you for sharing Amber...this was so hard to watch and I imagine was very, very hard to step inside and experience it. I would have been in tears too. What human beings are capable of is unfathomable, but sharing the history is important for understanding the depravity it represents. "Slavery fuels a mythology of privilege that provides a justification for those who have at the expense of those who are the have nots." Brenda Stevenson, UCLA professor of history and African-American studies

[@heartofinsight5529]

It's so tragic that the rich are still making money off slavery... The opulence of that plantation on the back of human suffering is horrific. xxx

[@davepalmetto]

Have fun and take care and take it easy and enjoy it