Catoctin Mountain isn’t a well-known historical place, but perhaps that’s by design. After all, it has a lot to hide in its history – depending on your viewpoint.
When iron ore was discovered in those mountains, white men jumped at the chance to make a profit. But of course, they couldn’t do it without laborers. So they targeted the very best ironworkers in the world – our people!
Even as they kept our people enslaved and in horrid conditions, their eyes were on profit. As iron became used in the Revolutionary War, in steamships, and in other products, the white men grew into powerful, rich industry titans. Then the inevitable happened.
As time progressed, enslaved workers became more expensive to keep. The men abandoned enslaved Black people in favor of cheaper immigrant labor. But by then, the reputation of craftsmanship and quality had already been created. The Industrial Revolution had been built – on the backs of Black labor!
The truth is, there is nothing in the U.S. that wasn't made great by Blackness. We must remember that the exploitation of Black bodies has never been accounted for – and the U.S. owes us a great debt!