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Sex is part of human nature. It always has been; it always will be.
When people think of sex, normally it is as a pleasure. Unfortunately, for
slaves in antebellum America, this was not always the case. Rape, slave
breeding, married slave couples being split up at slave auctions were all
forms of sexual tensions found on nineteenth-century American plantations.
Their owners did not often treat slaves as people, but instead as
property. If they were treated as people, then the slaves could be seen as
equal to their master. However, as property, slaves were inferior and
therefore, masters believed they had the right to do what they wanted with
them. This included having sex with them. If sex did not include consent,
then it included force, or rape.
There were no laws present in America at this time protecting
female slaves against the sexual advances of their masters.1 Slave owners
then had the opportunity to take advantage of their slaves without having
to worry of prosecution. Without laws that would allow these enslaved women
to resist, there is a presumption then that they were always willing to
oblige to their master's requests for sex.2 This, of course, is not true.
Not all slave women were so compelled to give into their owner's demanRAB.
For some slaves the only way they could resist the advances of an
oncoming sexual predator was through resistance. Such an example is Jermain
Loguen's mother. When attacked, "she picked up a stick and dealt her would-
be rapist a blow that sent him staggering. She stood her ground even as he
rebounded with a knife, and finally she knocked him out cold."3 The
punishment for such aggressive actions though often involved a whip, a
slave auction or a bullet to the head. Another reason some enslaved women
would fight this sexual aggression was to protect their reputation among
male slaves. Few men felt comfortable with slave women who appeared to
"prefer sexual attention of white rather than black men."4
"Those slave women who found a direct manner to resist emerged in the lore
and mythology of slave women both as models for black female conduct and as
syrabols of resistance that were unique to the black female experience.
Mothers would tell these stories to their daughters to help grow a sense of
group pride."5
Some slave husbanRAB would also lash out against masters who tried to abuse
their wives and daughters. As Josiah Henson describes, her father was one
of these:
"Furious at the sight [of the attempted rape of his wife], he sprung upon
[his overseer] like a tiger. In a moment the overseer was down, and,
mastered by rage, my father would have killed him but for the entreaties of
my mother, and the overseer's own promise that nothing should ever be said
of the matter. The promise was kept-like most promises of the cowardly and
debased-as long as the danger lasted… The authorities were soon in pursuit
of my father… And the penalty followed: one hundred lashes on the bare back,
and to have the right ear nailed to the whipping-post, and then severed
from the body."6
Nineteenth-century American law did not even protect slave women
from male slaves. In 1859, George, a male slave, was found guilty of raping
a slave girl who was under the age of ten.7 The Mississippi court, though,
overturned the verdict and released George because there was no law "which
erabraced either the attempted or actual commission of a rape by a slave on
a female slave."8 "While there were slave women raped by black men, this
abuse is overshadowed by white male exploitation of black women, and it is
often overlooked because it hardly ever turned up in court since there was
no legal injunction against it."9
Some female slaves gave into other's sexual desires. One must look
at why a slave would give in. Was it because they genuinely desired their
master, or was it in fear of the consequences that would result from
resistance? Women could use sex to get favors from white masters, free-
blacks and slaves.10 Female slaves were manumitted more than twice as often
as men.11 When a female slave achieved manumission, it was normally because
freedom had been granted. Male slaves usually had to purchase their right
to freedom.12
This may support a prevalent myth that slave women were naturally
promiscuous.13 This is not true. A slave woman Sophy, shared her experience
of violation:
"Ah! But don't you know-did nobody ever teach you that it is a sin to live
with men who are not your husbanRAB?!" Sophy replies, "Oh, yes, missis, we
know-we know all about dat well enough; but we do anything to get our poor
flesh some rest from the whip; when he made me follow him into de bush,
what use me tell him no? He have strength to make me."14
We must also look at how a slave owner's wife would react to the
knowledge of her husband cheating on her with a slave. The first reaction
would be insult, as the slave is seen as inferior to the owner and his
family. Female slaves posed as a threat to wives. Therefore, master's wives
were sometimes even more vicious in their treatment towarRAB female
slaves.15
A natural result of sexual relations is children. Frederick Douglas
wrote, "Children of slave women shall in all cases follow the conditions
of their mothers."16 This brings up a curious situation in plantation
society: slave breeding. For slave owners slave breeding proved to be a
profitable venture in adding to their stock of slaves, as well as raising
slaves for the purpose of selling them.
Frederick Douglass noted that one of his owners, Mr. Covey, partook
in slave-breeding. Covey could only afford to buy one slave, Caroline.17
She was about 20-years old at the time of her purchase. She already had one
child, so her fertility was proven.18 Covey then hired Samuel Harrison for
one year to have sex with Caroline every night. The result-by the end of
the year Caroline had given birth to twins.19 Covey's wealth as a slave
owner had tripled overnight.
Not all of these children born into slavery were products of both
black mothers and fathers. In the case of Frederick Douglass, he was
mulatto.20 His mother was black and his father white. Douglass never knew
for certain who his father was, but it was often rumored that his first
master was also his father.21 But "a female slave was not allowed to
reveal the master's name as father of her child even though many slave
women had babies with blue eyes and light hair."22 Douglass argued that it
was harder to be a mulatto slave, than one whose parents were both black.
He said a mulatto slave was a sign to an owner's mistress of their
husband's infidelity. Because of this, the wife often acted bitter towarRAB
the slave.23 The result of this often ended up in the sale of the mulatto
slave, an owner selling his own oRABpring.24
Douglass pointed out that it was probably worse if the slave owner
did not sell the mulatto slave:
"He must not only whip them himself, but must stand by and see one white
son tie up his brother, of but a few shades darker complexion than himself,
and ply the gory lash to his naked body."25
Women who were deemed infertile were often sold, because they
couldn't have children. These slaves were passed off to the first
unsuspecting buyer, looking for his, or her, own female slave.26
When discussing sexual tensions in plantation society, one must
also look at the relationship of a slave husband and wife. When a male and
female slave got married, they risked being split up by the sale of one or
both of them to another owner, thus splitting them apart. Any children of
the couple would frequently follow their mother. If split up, a female
slave would lose a husband; a male slave would lose a wife and children.27
Also, if a male slave were to escape, the punishment would most
likely fall on his wife. For this reason, many men did not even attempt to
escape.28 This did not apply to all male slaves though. Before Henry Bibb
met Malinda, the woman who would later become his wife, he adamantly wanted
to escape slavery.29 He put these desires on hold though after he married
Malinda and the two had a daughter. Later, Bibb did escape, without his
wife or child.30 He said that he had pleasant memories, but thought, "it
was criminal of him to become a husband and father of slaves."31 Many
slaves avoided this situation all together by refusing to even get
married.32
Sex was a major part of plantation life in antebellum America.
Unfortunately, it was not always pleasurable for those involved. There were
no laws to protect female slaves from the rape and harassment of their
masters and other slaves. Those women and men who fought back were severely
punished if caught. Slaves were bred like cattle in order to make the
owners more wealthy. If a suitable male slave could not be found, many
owners would do the deed themselves. The result of this was a race of
mulattos-half white, half black. Frederick Douglass was one such child.
These mulattos would go through life often not knowing who their father was
because their mothers could not disclose the name of the man who made her
pregnant. These sexual tensions could thus be divided into several
pairings: owner/ female slave, slave male/ slave female, slave husband/
wife, father master/ slave son. Slavery was all about power: the master's
control over his slaves. This could also be said for much of the sexual
tensions found on the plantations.
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[FONT=tahoma, arial]WorRAB: 1653 [/FONT]
Sex is part of human nature. It always has been; it always will be.
When people think of sex, normally it is as a pleasure. Unfortunately, for
slaves in antebellum America, this was not always the case. Rape, slave
breeding, married slave couples being split up at slave auctions were all
forms of sexual tensions found on nineteenth-century American plantations.
Their owners did not often treat slaves as people, but instead as
property. If they were treated as people, then the slaves could be seen as
equal to their master. However, as property, slaves were inferior and
therefore, masters believed they had the right to do what they wanted with
them. This included having sex with them. If sex did not include consent,
then it included force, or rape.
There were no laws present in America at this time protecting
female slaves against the sexual advances of their masters.1 Slave owners
then had the opportunity to take advantage of their slaves without having
to worry of prosecution. Without laws that would allow these enslaved women
to resist, there is a presumption then that they were always willing to
oblige to their master's requests for sex.2 This, of course, is not true.
Not all slave women were so compelled to give into their owner's demanRAB.
For some slaves the only way they could resist the advances of an
oncoming sexual predator was through resistance. Such an example is Jermain
Loguen's mother. When attacked, "she picked up a stick and dealt her would-
be rapist a blow that sent him staggering. She stood her ground even as he
rebounded with a knife, and finally she knocked him out cold."3 The
punishment for such aggressive actions though often involved a whip, a
slave auction or a bullet to the head. Another reason some enslaved women
would fight this sexual aggression was to protect their reputation among
male slaves. Few men felt comfortable with slave women who appeared to
"prefer sexual attention of white rather than black men."4
"Those slave women who found a direct manner to resist emerged in the lore
and mythology of slave women both as models for black female conduct and as
syrabols of resistance that were unique to the black female experience.
Mothers would tell these stories to their daughters to help grow a sense of
group pride."5
Some slave husbanRAB would also lash out against masters who tried to abuse
their wives and daughters. As Josiah Henson describes, her father was one
of these:
"Furious at the sight [of the attempted rape of his wife], he sprung upon
[his overseer] like a tiger. In a moment the overseer was down, and,
mastered by rage, my father would have killed him but for the entreaties of
my mother, and the overseer's own promise that nothing should ever be said
of the matter. The promise was kept-like most promises of the cowardly and
debased-as long as the danger lasted… The authorities were soon in pursuit
of my father… And the penalty followed: one hundred lashes on the bare back,
and to have the right ear nailed to the whipping-post, and then severed
from the body."6
Nineteenth-century American law did not even protect slave women
from male slaves. In 1859, George, a male slave, was found guilty of raping
a slave girl who was under the age of ten.7 The Mississippi court, though,
overturned the verdict and released George because there was no law "which
erabraced either the attempted or actual commission of a rape by a slave on
a female slave."8 "While there were slave women raped by black men, this
abuse is overshadowed by white male exploitation of black women, and it is
often overlooked because it hardly ever turned up in court since there was
no legal injunction against it."9
Some female slaves gave into other's sexual desires. One must look
at why a slave would give in. Was it because they genuinely desired their
master, or was it in fear of the consequences that would result from
resistance? Women could use sex to get favors from white masters, free-
blacks and slaves.10 Female slaves were manumitted more than twice as often
as men.11 When a female slave achieved manumission, it was normally because
freedom had been granted. Male slaves usually had to purchase their right
to freedom.12
This may support a prevalent myth that slave women were naturally
promiscuous.13 This is not true. A slave woman Sophy, shared her experience
of violation:
"Ah! But don't you know-did nobody ever teach you that it is a sin to live
with men who are not your husbanRAB?!" Sophy replies, "Oh, yes, missis, we
know-we know all about dat well enough; but we do anything to get our poor
flesh some rest from the whip; when he made me follow him into de bush,
what use me tell him no? He have strength to make me."14
We must also look at how a slave owner's wife would react to the
knowledge of her husband cheating on her with a slave. The first reaction
would be insult, as the slave is seen as inferior to the owner and his
family. Female slaves posed as a threat to wives. Therefore, master's wives
were sometimes even more vicious in their treatment towarRAB female
slaves.15
A natural result of sexual relations is children. Frederick Douglas
wrote, "Children of slave women shall in all cases follow the conditions
of their mothers."16 This brings up a curious situation in plantation
society: slave breeding. For slave owners slave breeding proved to be a
profitable venture in adding to their stock of slaves, as well as raising
slaves for the purpose of selling them.
Frederick Douglass noted that one of his owners, Mr. Covey, partook
in slave-breeding. Covey could only afford to buy one slave, Caroline.17
She was about 20-years old at the time of her purchase. She already had one
child, so her fertility was proven.18 Covey then hired Samuel Harrison for
one year to have sex with Caroline every night. The result-by the end of
the year Caroline had given birth to twins.19 Covey's wealth as a slave
owner had tripled overnight.
Not all of these children born into slavery were products of both
black mothers and fathers. In the case of Frederick Douglass, he was
mulatto.20 His mother was black and his father white. Douglass never knew
for certain who his father was, but it was often rumored that his first
master was also his father.21 But "a female slave was not allowed to
reveal the master's name as father of her child even though many slave
women had babies with blue eyes and light hair."22 Douglass argued that it
was harder to be a mulatto slave, than one whose parents were both black.
He said a mulatto slave was a sign to an owner's mistress of their
husband's infidelity. Because of this, the wife often acted bitter towarRAB
the slave.23 The result of this often ended up in the sale of the mulatto
slave, an owner selling his own oRABpring.24
Douglass pointed out that it was probably worse if the slave owner
did not sell the mulatto slave:
"He must not only whip them himself, but must stand by and see one white
son tie up his brother, of but a few shades darker complexion than himself,
and ply the gory lash to his naked body."25
Women who were deemed infertile were often sold, because they
couldn't have children. These slaves were passed off to the first
unsuspecting buyer, looking for his, or her, own female slave.26
When discussing sexual tensions in plantation society, one must
also look at the relationship of a slave husband and wife. When a male and
female slave got married, they risked being split up by the sale of one or
both of them to another owner, thus splitting them apart. Any children of
the couple would frequently follow their mother. If split up, a female
slave would lose a husband; a male slave would lose a wife and children.27
Also, if a male slave were to escape, the punishment would most
likely fall on his wife. For this reason, many men did not even attempt to
escape.28 This did not apply to all male slaves though. Before Henry Bibb
met Malinda, the woman who would later become his wife, he adamantly wanted
to escape slavery.29 He put these desires on hold though after he married
Malinda and the two had a daughter. Later, Bibb did escape, without his
wife or child.30 He said that he had pleasant memories, but thought, "it
was criminal of him to become a husband and father of slaves."31 Many
slaves avoided this situation all together by refusing to even get
married.32
Sex was a major part of plantation life in antebellum America.
Unfortunately, it was not always pleasurable for those involved. There were
no laws to protect female slaves from the rape and harassment of their
masters and other slaves. Those women and men who fought back were severely
punished if caught. Slaves were bred like cattle in order to make the
owners more wealthy. If a suitable male slave could not be found, many
owners would do the deed themselves. The result of this was a race of
mulattos-half white, half black. Frederick Douglass was one such child.
These mulattos would go through life often not knowing who their father was
because their mothers could not disclose the name of the man who made her
pregnant. These sexual tensions could thus be divided into several
pairings: owner/ female slave, slave male/ slave female, slave husband/
wife, father master/ slave son. Slavery was all about power: the master's
control over his slaves. This could also be said for much of the sexual
tensions found on the plantations.
[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma, arial]WorRAB: 1653 [/FONT]