Lachi, Gaven

How Gender, Race, and Class Gave Me Perspective.

My Role

My role, what is my role?

I ask myself in twenty-twenty.

My role, what is my role?

The time that has passed

has been more than plenty.

Who is liable? Who is responsible?

The question asked by many.

As we grow and as we learn,

My heart aches and my heart burns

To look back on history

But now it’s my turn.

Our turn now and our turn together,

To grow and repair

This country together.

Through education,

Through talk,

Through opportunities,

And thoughts.

A great deal of work remains

But this is a new era

With new change.

And as the lessons learned

Become like a dance,

I truly believe that together

There is a chance.

Digital Public Library of America.

As slavery has become a distinct segment in most history textbooks you pick up, with the focus seems to be placed on key events and the main people involved. However, how did the individual experiences relate between the different genders and races? And how did these experiences shape the future we live in today?

After reviewing information presented in this class (books, lectures, documentaries) we can see the similarities and differences among black and white women as they relate to their counterparts. Through concrete examples provided below we can see the similarities and differences in this context while also examining the how this has impacted the black (and black female) community in the U.S. today.

This serves to show that gender was not necessarily associated with many African Americans during this time as it didn’t matter who did the work (picking cotton among other agricultural work) so long as it got done. The differences these people did have appeared when slave owners realized the untapped potential associated with a black women’s reproductive capacity. Davis states that although they were somewhat viewed as “breeders”, there became a premium demand for black women due to fertility (p. 3). Essentially more kids were born as property which meant more workers in the long run. White women were almost technically considered property as well, however, according to lecture white women were “legally recognized through the system of coverture” and eventually became idealized through the “cult of domesticity” (Whatcott, Week 11).

This was far different from the ideology of how a black women should be treated as legally as property and did not receive the same views associated with “cult of domesticity” that many white women were subject to. Due to these factors among others it can be quite simple to see why it might have been difficult for white and black women to stand together as allies in the battle for women’s rights. Instead this separation worked to limit both groups in terms or rights and equality.

According to Angela Davis:

“seven out of eight slaves, men and women alike, were field workers; just as the boys were sent to the fields when they came of age, so too were the girls”.

A woman processes tobacco leaves. Digital Public Library of America.

Although many believe that black women were mainly house servants and black men mainly worked the fields, the reality of what happened was the two were treated more similarly than differently. According to Angela Davis “seven out of eight slaves, men and women alike, were field workers; just as the boys were sent to the fields when they came of age, so too were the girls” (p. 2). This serves to show that gender was not necessarily associated with many African Americans during this time as it didn’t matter who did the work (picking cotton among other agricultural work) so long as it got done. The differences these people did have appeared when slave owners realized the untapped potential associated with a black women’s reproductive capacity. Davis states that although they were somewhat viewed as “breeders”, there became a premium demand for black women due to fertility (p. 3). Essentially more kids were born as property which meant more workers in the long run. White women were almost technically considered property as well, however, according to lecture white women were “legally recognized through the system of coverture” and eventually became idealized through the “cult of domesticity” (Whatcott, Week 11). This was far different from the ideology of how a black women should be treated as legally as property and did not receive the same views associated with “cult of domesticity” that many white women were subject to. Due to these factors among others it can be quite simple to see why it might have been difficult for white and black women to stand together as allies in the battle for women’s rights. Instead this separation worked to limit both groups in terms or rights and equality.

Hard to see but a group of African Americans pack up a small car. Digital Public Library of America.

After considering the information above the question remains: How did black women historically resist the effects of slavery? How did they work to help themselves and their families if gender served almost no purpose for them? According to the lecture from class (and reading), Harriet Jacobs was an example of how one black woman chose to resist slavery. She did so through having a relationship with a white man (her master), escaping to the north, and eventually even freeing her own children from slavery when she was able to (Whatcott, Week 11).

Through these actions that initially seem unorthodox she was able to resist and eventually escape slavery while helping those she loved. It even seems as though these events are what became the beginning of feminism as we see this resistance translate through the history that followed. As these actions involved with slavery had long-lasting effects on the black community we can still see some examples of how these effects are still with us today.

In class we discussed how many of the wealth accumulated by rich white slave owners is what became the basis for a number of wealthy individuals and establishments today. As slavery ended we see that many of these newly freed African Americans began their freedom with virtually nothing; this led to a generations of poverty for the descendants of these slaves that still affect those in certain black communities today.

African American slaves picking cotton in the field. Digital Public Library of America.

Overall we can see how during these times black men and women basically treated the same with only some instances where there are some differences. There is a minor cases of similarities between the ideology of black and white women during slavery, however, it’s easy to see why the two groups were more separated than together based on things like power/authority and the “cult of domesticity”. Although we see how this has maybe began a spark for women’s rights as they push to resist in history and modern times; there is plenty of evidence about how the black community is still being affected negatively by these events today. These different sources from history give us a picture of how these things worked with and against each other while also serving as a basis for how we all want to be treated equally today. Many still look to see how they can show responsibility for reparations today based on the actions of their ancestors while others strive to be a part of the history we write today. As equality becomes a focus for many of us today we begin to realize how we all have more in common than we think.

Peaceful protests for equal rights. Digital Public Library of America.

Works Cited

· Whatcott, J. (2020). Lecture Week 11

· Davis, A. Y. (1982). Women, race & class. London: Women's Press.

· Digital Public Library of America, date accessed 2020

Get in touch at [gavenlachi32@live.com]

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