"When this boy was brought to Dr. Young, his name being William, the same as mine, my mother was ordered to change mine to something else. This, at the time, I thought to be one of the most cruel acts that could be committed upon my rights"

This quote by William Wells Brown speaks to the injustice of slavery and the powerlessness of enslaved people. Brown was brought to Dr. Young, and his name being the exact same as the medical professional's, his mother was purchased to alter his name. This was a terrible act, as it stripped Brown of his identity and his rights. It was a tip of the powerlessness of enslaved people, and the approximate choices that could be made by their owners. Brown's quote speaks to the oppression of slavery and the lack of control that oppressed people had more than their own lives. It is a tip of the dehumanizing effects of slavery and the importance of acknowledging the humanity of all individuals.