Slavery is the worst thing that any human being can experience. Nonetheless, slavery became a common practice in western countries, especially in the USA between 1619 and 1865 when the country ratified the Thirteenth Amendment that abolished any form of slavery. Many people believe that only black men became slaves. On the contrary, both black women and whites were subjected to slavery, even though they encountered different treatments and working conditions. Like their male counterparts, black women slaves performed hard and intense labor in plantations and were required to pay taxes. Black women slaves were not differentiated from a black male. On the contrary, white female slaves received different treatments because they mainly did domestic chores and they never paid taxes. White women slaves were perceived to be different from black female slaves mainly because of the difference in color of their skins. 1 Black women slaves experienced worse conditions than white female slaves as they were treated as enslaved men.
Slaves who arrived in the USA in the 1620s enjoyed a different working environment entirely, especially when compared to their colleagues who came later in the 1660s. Before the 1660s, slavery was not legally defined. As a result, slaves who arrived in states such as Virginia enjoyed a lot of freedom, and some were even allowed to get married. For instance, Mary Johnson who became a slave in Virginia in 1622 enjoyed the opportunity to secure freedom and advanced economically and socially. 2 However, in the 1660s, the act of slavery became clearly defined based on the existing laws, which changed the conditions of laves to the worse. They could no longer enjoy the freedom, and they were under strict control of their masters who treated them as commodities. Both black men and women slaves experienced harsh working conditions, and they were treated worse than white slaves.
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Black women slaves endured the same life as their male counterparts during slavery. English settlers perceived black women as exploitable who could easily be subjected to hard labor in agricultural fields. Like their male counterparts, African-American women slaves were seen as drudges or people who can physically do hard menial work. As a result, black women slaves started working on fields or plantations. The notion that black women slaves could be used interchangeably with men in the agricultural sector was not a new norm as it had been practiced in Brazil. Women became part of active labor in sugar plantations in Brazil, and English settlers embraced the trend when the demand for workers increased significantly in the USA. 3 Besides, black womanhood was constructed differently from that of white womanhood. Black women were perceived to be physically strong, and they could be submissive. On the contrary, white women were seen to be physically weak and could only do domestic work, and they heavily depended on men to earn a living. Consequently, some women slaves from West African did not have a problem doing field work because they considered it gender-appropriate. Slave masters took advantage of this rooted perception and employed black women slaves to work in the fields such as tobacco plantation. Thus, both black women and men did hard and intense field work that required a lot of physical strength.
Unlike black women slaves, white women slaves did not do fieldwork. On the contrary, they did domestic work, which was expected of white womanhood. They also enjoyed a lot of freedom compared to their black counterparts who were not allowed to engage in any interracial marriages or sexual contacts with white people. Consequently, white women, slaves had power over their black counterparts and they could sometimes mistreat them when at homes and on plantations. A white woman slave was superior to a black female slave, and the trend continued until the end of slavery. 4
Both men and black women slaves were taxed, which was not the case for white women slaves. A law was established in Virginia in 1643 that introduced a tithe tax for black women slaves while exempting white female slaves. 5 The law required all black women slaves who were above 16 years old to be subjected to tithe tax in Virginia. Just like men, black women slaves were categorized as people who were productive. Specifically, the law stated that black women slaves had the same productive capacity just like men, making them liable to pay tithe tax. As a result, African American slaves became one of the most important tax bases of tobacco in Virginia and other parts of American. However, white women slaves were exempted from paying tithe tax. According to legislatures who introduced the tithe tax for black women slaves, white women were physically weak, and they had the insignificant productive capacity, especially when compared to men and African American women. Thus, men and black women slaves paid tithe tax while white women slaves were exempted.
White women slaves got different treatment from that of their black colleagues, even in the same working environment. Black women slave lives were characterized by constant sexual exploitation and harassment such as rape. Some of the black women slaves underwent inhumane treatment that led to long-term psychological turmoil. For instance, according to the story that was narrated by Roe Williams, one of the black women slaves, some of the black women slaves underwent forced gynecological experimental operations without the use of anesthesia. At the same time, some of the children of black women slaves were sold to slave masters without their consent. Nevertheless, even though white women slaves were also mistreated, they were only not allowed to own property and be submissive to their masters and husbands. 6 Also, white women slaves could engage in interracial marriage, which was not the case for black female slaves. Like white women slaves, enslaved women could get married, even to couples from different races. As a result, many African American men married white women slaves because of the lack of a legal barrier and to reduce some racial discrimination. Therefore, enslaved black women were much inferior compared to white female slaves, including men.
Nonetheless, despite difficulties that black enslaved women faced, they could still adapt and cope with their situations. One of the main strategies that black women slave used was silence and secrecy. Many enslaved black women did not complain, even when their masters or white women mistreated them. They preferred to remain silent most of the time. Besides, they did not disclose their real sentiments to their masters, enabling them to gain some trust. At the same time, black women slaves kept their secrets to themselves. Silence and secrecy were strategies that enabled black women slaves to escape harsh treatment. Also, they used the strategy to avoid sexual harassment from men and their masters, which was common among slaves. Also, unlike enslaved men, black women slaves never showed any form of aggressiveness to their masters. As a result, they did not pose a lot of threat to their masters, enabling them to enjoy some freedom such as movement. Lack of aggressiveness made white, black slaves to avoid harsh punishment received by enslaved men who tried to escape or openly confronted their masters. 7
Despite their secrecy, silence, and submissiveness, women still played an active role toward the end of slavery. Some women openly opposed slavery, especially based on how female slaves were treated. For instance, Harriet Tubman successfully organized protests against slave owners in 1831. Moreover, Denmark Vessey organized a protest against slavery in 1822. 8 Therefore, women were not silent, and they fought to end slavery. However, individual black women slaves feared to confront their masters because of the possible severe consequences.
In conclusion, slavery affected African American or black women than any other group of slaves, especially enslaved men and white women. Enslaved black women were forced to work on plantations just like their male counterparts, even though they were weak and frail. Besides, they went through sexual harassment and mistreatments that affected their lives significant. Still, black women, slaves learned to cope with the difficulties by either remaining silent or keeping secrets. The social construction of black manhood as physically strong and submissive led to their suffering when compared to men and white women slaves.
Bibliography
Brown, Kathleen M. Endangering Racial Difference 1640-1670 . The University of North Carolina Press, 2012.
White, Deborah Gray. Ar'n't I a woman: Female slaves in the plantation South . WW Norton & Company, 1999.
1 Brown, Kathleen M. Endangering Racial Difference 1640-1670 (The University of North Carolina Press, 2012), 108.
2 Ibid, 109
3 Brown, Kathleen M. Endangering Racial Difference 1640-1670 (The University of North Carolina Press, 2012), 109.
4 Brown, Kathleen M. Endangering Racial Difference 1640-1670 (The University of North Carolina Press, 2012), 118.
5 Ibid, 119
6 White, Deborah Gray. Ar'n't I a woman? Female slaves in the plantation South (WW Norton & Company, 1999), 23.
7 White, Deborah Gray. Ar'n't I a woman? Female slaves in the plantation South (WW Norton & Company, 1999), 31.
8 Ibid, 33
