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A Feminist Analysis on the Oppression of Black Men and Women in the Antebellum Era & How the U.S Today is Far From Ending Racism and Slavery
A Feminist Analysis on the Oppression of Black Men and Women in the Antebellum Era & How the U.S Today is Far From Ending Racism and Slavery
Subjected to a system that has long prioritized capitalistic ventures over human rights, there is a clear disconnect in the history of how enslaved black men and women were treated compared to white people. Furthermore, black women were degraded to statuses far from white women and instead subjugated to the same cruel treatments used on black men. Utilizing several feminist materials from this course as supporting testimony, this essay will advocate for Angela Davis’ and Harriet Jacobs’ books, that enslaved black women held more in common with enslaved black men than with white women.
In Pem Davidson Buck’s Constructing Race, Creating White Privilege, he addresses the notion of race being one that has been socially, legally, and economically created over time to fit the exploitative tendencies of those in power towards minority groups. In early colonial America, race had no indication on status - it was instead based on categories of wealth or religious affiliation. European and African indentured servants lived together, made love and married each other, and were freed by their masters in the same way.
Bacon’s Rebellion marked a turning point in the notion of race, as European and African slaves, indentured servants and landless free men worked together against the government. To maintain control over their labor forces, Buck states that the “elite had to ‘teach whites the value of whiteness’”. They created a psychological wage of white privilege for the poor, landless whites, so that even though they held little status in comparison to landowning whites, they felt superior over the black slaves or servants and would therefore be less apt to helping them rebel or escape.
African men and women were denied the right to vote and own property, had restrictions on interracial marriages and learning to read and write, and were subjected to punishment by their masters. These, amongst numerous others, were all created by the rich white men in government to widen the gap of freedoms and rights between whites and blacks, all because of a socially constructed idea of race.
In Angela Davis’ Women, Race & Class, she discusses the ways black people were viewed as “profitable labor units”, and more specifically how slave women were subjected to caring for their owner and children before they were allowed to be a mother to their own children or wife to their own husband.
"profitable labor units"
"profitable labor units"
"breeders"
"breeders"
They were victims of sexual abuse from their slaveowner, who viewed them as “breeders” to create more labor for their plantations, and held no formal ownership over the children they produced, which could be sold from them at birth. A black woman was subjected to the same torture and punishment as men, all while having her importance based on her ability to reproduce and care for their owners’ household and family members.
Power Dynamic of Black & White Women Under Their Husbands' Control
Power Dynamic of Black & White Women Under Their Husbands' Control
The experiences of white women were drastically different to those of black women, although there were a few similarities in their inability to have status or power under control of their husband. Gretchen Ritter describes the common law doctrine during colonial American, that under coverture married women could not own property, vote, have legal authority over their children, and quite literally say no to their husband in any circumstance, whether it be refuse sex or physical punishment.
"Women women ceased to legally exist upon marriage. Their identities were absorbed into, or covered by, their husbands". - Ritter
"Women women ceased to legally exist upon marriage. Their identities were absorbed into, or covered by, their husbands". - Ritter
Cult of Domesticity
Cult of Domesticity
Women: take care of children, cook meals, clean the house; anything to make the house a safe place for their husband to return after a so-called long day at work
Men: provide financially
However, in Buck’s article discussed previously, he touches on the biological assumptions on what it means to be a woman, with their natural roles deemed to be stay at home wives and mothers and the imbalance within this ideology between black and white women.
Black women, forced to care for their slave owner's family and household, were unable to “stay at home” and were therefore not seen as true or proper women as white women were due to their ability to stay home.
White women relied on black women for domestic labor and help around the house, all while they were treated as property of the slave owner and not a legal person.
Systemic Racism Continues Today Through the U.S Prison & Justice System
Systemic Racism Continues Today Through the U.S Prison & Justice System
While slavery was legally abolished through the 13th amendment, “penal servitude” was a loophole created to allow it if the person had been lawfully convicted of a crime. As black neighborhoods are overpoliced, there is a disproportionate number of black people in prisons and jails compared to white people.
“Mandatory minimum” sentences and “three strikes” laws have lengthened sentencing, in addition to statistically giving harsher or longer sentences to black people for the same crimes committed by white people who have received lesser punishments. Prisoners are subjected to full time working status in places like fields or manufacturing warehouses, making as little as two cents an hour for their work.
Feminist Figure: How Harriet Jacobs Resisted Slavery
Feminist Figure: How Harriet Jacobs Resisted Slavery
Born into it in 1813 in North Carolina, she resisted sexual harrassment from her slave owner by saying no, and then starting a relationship with another white man which was forbidden against due to her being a black woman. Additionally, she escaped slavery by hiding in an attic for seven years; in escaping only to live in inferior conditions for more of her life, Jacobs implies how bad her life was as a slave and subjected to the sexual abuse. Running away was also another act of bravery, as it was illegal if she wasn’t freed by her master.
Reparations
Reparations
The history and impact of slavery sincerely hurts me to hear about, which in a way is selfish for me to think because I, nor any of my ancestors, have never and will never experience what that was like. While I can say I have no knowledge of any of my ancestors owning slaves, I don’t even want to stop there and say my reparations are done.
Growing up all throughout school, I attended very racially diverse schools which I am truly grateful for because it helped me see color instead of being openly blind to it; I understand cultural differences so much more from having such diverse environments and friend groups. This has also really put into perspective the history behind my friends’ ancestors, and any suffering they endured (probably at the hands of white people). While my sympathy and empathy can provide some sort of comfort, I know it will never be enough to repair their traumatic experiences.
I am happy that I have taken the time to educate myself on social issues that bother me, that it makes me feel uncomfortable to look at one of my best friends who is a black, gay man and wonder why he should be treated any different that I should, with me inherently having privilege from being white and straight. My discomfort to these subjects makes me realize I will stand up to fight for what I believe in. I went to a Black Lives Matter march in my hometown with my friend mentioned before, Jason, and the woman running the event brought myself and Jason up to the front to hold hands with a line of other diverse people. When she started asking the audience why my friend should be more afraid to be walking in a hoodie home at night or get pulled over than I should, it really made me break down and analyze the system that I thought was supposed to protect me and my friend. How can someone look at my friend, the sweetest and most hardworking person I know, and only judge him based on the color of his skin? That absolutely kills me.
My dad and I were talking one day after I had gone to the BLM march and he told me how he went to protests after Rodney King was a victim of police brutality by the LAPD, which is right in my hometown. It hurts that these battles have been fought time and time again, and they still aren’t resolved.
I have committed myself to having hard conversations with my older generation family that, while I hate to say it more than anything, has some racist tendencies. I have cut friendships with people this past year who do not believe in the systematic abuse of people of color and who don’t understand white privilege. I take classes like this one because I am so eager to learn what I can do to be a better ally. While I am far from done, these are just some steps that I have taken to make reparations in the best ways I can.
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