Barnett, Taimi

A Brighter Future

A brief analysis on the history of slavery and women inequality, and the connections these two issues have with one another. Following, an idea of my own responsibility in the scope of reparations.

Group of enslaved black women putting in physical labor. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division. The New York Public Library.

Two prevalent issues that come to light when regarding American history— slavery and gender inequality towards women. While undoubtedly different, there are connections that are able to be seen when looking at the two topics. Authors Angela Davis and Harriet Jacobs dive into these subjects and highlight such connections between the enslaved and women. These authors suggest that enslaved black women had more in common with enslaved black men than they did with white women, and this is due to the major differences in history of their races.

"strides can be made to step into a brighter and better future"

Throughout American history, there are a handful of experiences that both enslaved black men and women encountered. In her book, Angela Davis describes both to have been victim to the same labor and violence. Looking further into this, Davis words it as both men and women working “under the threat of a whip” before sex and gender were brought into the mix in regards to their work as slaves. This confounding similarity shows a clear commonality between black men and women, however, there is one difference between the two that is undoubtedly worth mentioning. Author Angela Davis sheds light on how black enslaved women specifically were forced to endure countless acts of sexual violence and abuse, and how they had basically no sexual or reproductive rights.

Very young children stand alongside adults in the cotton field. The women wear dresses, and one young boy can be seen holding a hat. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library.

Enslaved black women were exploited for work as “men” or were “genderless”, yet when they were targetedly repressed, they were tied down to exclusive female gender roles. She emphasizes how their ability to reproduce was valued as a source of economic gain. This can be seen in a way as being slightly similar to that of white women.

Portrait of an enslaved black woman named Alice. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division. The New York Public Library.

Although inequality was visibly faced by all women in American history, it’s important to mention how the note of slave owners having sexual relations with their black female slaves may have made it difficult for white women, specifically those as wives to the slave owners, to see each other as allies in regards to their gender oppression. This may be due to possible, and very rightful, insecurities of any white female, as their husband would be choosing to share such intimate experiences with another woman. Struggles such as these continue to have affect on Black communities even today.

When looking at black women and white women, we can see more differences between the two groups than similarities that help to provide reason as to why black women had a different experience of oppression. Author Angela Davis brings up how even though both black and white women were both valued as their ability to reproduce and were taken advantage of for that, black women specifically were used for this as a way of furthering the slave industry. This took away the right to equality of black children before they were even born, as they were only intentionally conceived as a means of economic gain through slave trade. Enslaved black women were stripped of their chance at motherhood, having a right to family, and their respect as being a wife.

Portrait of a white female figure, Fanny Kemble. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division. The New York Public Library.

In regards to post slavery and how this system has affected Black communities even still now, there are a multitude of examples to look at. Even after slavery was abolished, the government felt need to continue racial categories of people especially in interracial marriages. Past laws of anti-miscegenation continue to have an effect today as bringing attention onto mixed families and treating them as different than any other American family.

"limited to [the] stereotypes those categories hold."

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division. The New York Public Library.

The implementation of a “one-drop rule” being used to identify a person as being black through one drop of blood shows continuity from the past in how the capitalist economy feels the need to know what history one newborn is tied to, such as the intentional reproduction of children being born into slavery. This act of “needing” to put Black Americans into a category as a means of their identity leads to feelings of being limited to what stereotypes those categories hold. This idea of confinement makes it even more important for the Black communities to break those categories and resist historical slavery.

After reading Harriet Jacobs book, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, it is impossible to surpass the expression of resistance that was expressed. One example most striking was her decision to start a relationship with another white male. In her doing this, Jacobs was taking power over her own self before anyone else most certainly would have.

Although being in relations with a white man would not have been ideally desirable for her, she knew that taking control over her body and decision making would be better than being under submission by her owner. She showed that there is possibility to break the barriers of slavery and racism by taking control of her own life even in the limited ways she could at that time in history.

A memoir of escaped slave Harriet Jacobs. University of Minnesota Public Libraries.

Harriet Arminta Tubman, 1820 - 10 Mar 1913. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

Another example to look at is from Angela Davis’ Women Race & Class and her implement of Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad. This story shows a clear Anti-racism motive that was put into effect as she was successfully able to help hundreds of slaves escape from the North. Tubman is seen as a leader in slavery resistance as she, too, escaped slavery herself let alone led many other slaves to their freedom. These acts of historical resistance show the power that Black feminists have in being able to make effective change towards becoming truly equal.

Although the past cannot the taken back, with more people like the ones mentioned above, strides can be made to step into a brighter and better future for those affected by past American slavery.

What can I do on my part?

A look at my own personal part in making reparations for the past.

In sight of my own knowledge, my personal responsibility in regards to reparations towards the history of slavery may require first diving into my past lineage to better understand any possible connections by family ancestors I may or may not have had to slave history. Along with this, it might be my responsibility to take recognition for the inherited privilege that I have been given as a white citizen in the United States, and continue to self-educate about the history of slavery and the way it has shaped society today.

Electrical post with spray paint supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. evil robot 6(2020).

Other active ways I can participate in reparations for American slavery is attending events that advocate for Black communities. Whether it’s community events to celebrate or rallies to stand up for human rights, even just my presence can be shown as support and acknowledgement that I see these reparations as of high importance.

Another way of effort to be made is willingness to donate to organizations in support of Black communities. In specifics, funds that help to fight against police brutality and unfair prejudice are very important, especially today, in light of current events in America. Involvement in these types of conversations and efforts of resolution will show the level of sincerity with which these issues rightfully deserve.

Above all, I believe it would be my responsibility to speak up for those more directly affected by slave history with the privilege that I have been given as a way of showing the importance and attention this topic deserves. Hopefully I will be able to encourage others to engage in such topics as well at some point.

In my opinion, these are just some of the easy things that I can do as a white American in regards to reparations, especially as a white citizen who has had no primary involvement in the effect of slavery. However with effort being made to advocate for Black communities, I will be able to better make known just the level of importance of reparations for the past and the effects it holds.

Black Lives Matter protestor holding up a sign. Nozell, Mark(2020).

Works Cited

Davis, Angela Y. Women, Class, & Race. New York, Vintage Books, 1983.
Evil robot 6. BLM. Flickr(2020). https://www.flickr.com/photos/evilrobot6/50110604951/in/photolist-2jm6X2r-2jbeDoA-2j7QJTm-2jbaG32-2jgayWd-2j9Ex7f-2j9EwMY.
Jacobs, Harriet A. 1813-1897. Incidents In the Life of a Slave Girl : Written by Herself. London, Hodson and Son, 1862.
National Portrait Gallery Collection, Smithsonian Institution. "Harriet Tubman." Digital Public Library of America. https://dp.la/item/0c7da54ecf4d26b3fb745765e5387140?q=harriet%20tubman.
Nozell, Mark. Non-Black Americans ask yourselves: What will you do? #BLM. Flickr(2020). https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcn/49998653133/in/photolist-2jbdaDF-.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Alice [vignette]." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47df-fc75-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Fanny Kemble." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47df-fc79-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division, The New York Public Library. "Slavery in America [Women and children from Africa in the Southern States]." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1915. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47de-1983-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Washer-women." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dd-f22c-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99.
Univeristy of Minnesota Public Libraries. "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl." Digital Public Library of America. https://dp.la/item/16c774a530c0c17d9efc0746ea824b06?q=harriet%20jacobs.

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