In iambic verse, I shall explain the flaw, Of one-point-four percent, a stat too raw. This figure counts the free in sixty's year, Yet masks the truth where Southern lands adhere. In Dixie’s heart, nigh half of whites held sway, O’er slaves, while North’s free laws kept none at bay. The national count dilutes the South’s grim share, Where cotton’s wealth made all complicit there. Though some black owners held a scant few souls, The system’s weight on white hands took its toll. Thus, one-point-four, though true, obscures the cost, Of slavery’s reach, where truth in South is lost.

Hi @PB_RebeccaLynn! 👋🏻