Sixth Post

    Philip Zimbardo is a psychologist and a professor at Standford University. He became well known for his Stanford prison study; Zimbardo stated that, "Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended prematurely after only six days because of what the situation was doing to the college students who participated. In only a few days, our guards became aggressive and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress." 

    Twenty-four college students from the U.S. and Canada who happened to be in the Stanford area and, wanted to earn $15/day by participating in the study were chosen. Once they were tested or observed, that they would react normally in circumstances relating to the experiment then the procedure began. Those who were chosen as guards made those who were chosen as prisoners strip their clothes, wear a white dress (almost like a white- pillow case cover), forget their names and be classified as a number, in addition to this there were chained by their ankles so that they understood their freedom has now been taken.

    This relates almost accurately to "The Book of Negroes" as many of these basic essentials - food, name and freedom were taken for granted by Aminata and her people. Unfortunately, in Aminata’s case she didn’t expect that her basic livelihood could have been taken because, in her mind she was a freeborn and due to her age we see how she’s completely unaware of how big and dangerous the world could actually be. Evidently when she does get captured she struggles to come to terms with what’s happening to her. She went from walking freely with her mother and Fomba; to being yoked, beaten, naked, branded (numbered) and poorly looked after.