GENDER RELATIONS & SLAVERY

Gender relations and the experience of African American women vis-à-vis men under slavery

Gender relations and the experience of African American women vis-à-vis men under slavery

Introduction

There were many gender specific differences in slavery. They began as early as the middle passage. The African American women, generally, did not travel in the holds below the deck, but were allowed to walk about the quarterdeck without shackles. (Joyner, 1984) This had a couple of significant consequences; they were easily accessible to the sexual desires of seamen and there were very few attempts to stop the sailors from molesting the African American women. Once they were put up for sale, the most highly prized African American women were of child bearing age and "looked" like they could have many children without complications. Many times they were closely examined by the purchaser, degrading the woman even further. Thomas Jefferson frankly stated that he considered "a woman who brings a child every two years as more profitable than the best man on the farm [for] what she produces is an addition to the capital, while his labor disappears in mere consumption." Since the men were almost always more expensive than African American women, the ratio of men to women soared to 2:1 or sometimes even higher. Once purchased the woman's fate did not improve. They were either put to labor or bought as "concubines" or wives for the male slaves. African American women worked in the fields, but oftentimes they had other duties. The jobs that were almost exclusively female were: prime and full hands in the fields (reason: cheaper to purchase, same taxation as males), nurses, midwives, seamstresses, house cooks, children's cooks, overseer's cooks, overseer's girls. (White, 1985)

On the other hand African American Male slave bondage was neither better nor worse, more or less severe than female bondage; it was unique. From the very beginning the male's journey through the middle passage took on a different form than that of African American women. Because of their physical stamina the slavers were afraid of the men and therefore were more cautious. Men were bound in steel and kept below the deck for weeks at a time. Once at the end of their voyage the men had to recover from the hardships of the trip (if they were unlucky enough to survive). Unlike African American women, men were not prized for their fertility, but rather for their health and ability to perform hard labor. Slaves from the West Indies were preferred, since at least they spoke broken English, and were "broken in". Once purchased they were taken to the plantation where they were assimilated into the slave community. From the very beginning they were taught who was in charge and what their tasks were going to be. These tasks differed greatly from those of African American women. While most were bound for hard labor designed exclusively for males like ditchmen, plowmen, drivers, minders, stablemen, few were lucky enough to become skilled ...