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the affect of slavery to the united states
impact of the institution of slavery
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Melton McLaurin vividly describes the life of a sexually abused slave who fought back in the non-fictional memoir titled Celia, A Slave. As the story began, the 1800s were impassioned with one civil disagreement between two sides of the United States—whether the nation should legally end or perpetuate human enslavement (16). Slavery was particularly and heavily supported by the citizens of the Calloway County, the home of Robert Newsom (19). The proof of increased crop production through slave labor convinced Newsom to begin his investment in black slaves (20). Having an increased number of farmhands allowed Newsom more time for relaxation and a higher social status. Soon, after understanding the ease of obtaining human property, Newsom invested in a young slave girl mainly as a sexual object and concubine rather than a physical or domestic laborer after the recent death of his wife (21). Purchasing a young slave for sex seemed justified, seeing the commonality of slavery in his area. It may seem morbid nowadays, but it was an un-discussed trend during this era of controversial slavery. He loosely assigned the girl the task of being a cook as a cover-up for his sexual misconduct, though it remained obvious to his immediate family (28). The girl was called Celia by her previous master, purchased from an unknown identity at a day’s trip away (23). Celia eventually became weary of her master’s endless sexual abuse and, in the process of defending herself, killed her owner and threw his body in a fire with fear, eventuating her controversial trial (35). The long trip to Audrain from Calloway displays Newsom’s morbid fondness for Celia and dedication for a obtaining a young concubine, raping her before they even got back to the plant... ... middle of paper ... ...he complicated and mixed terms that Celia was: between a slave and a woman, but the prosecutors, overall, ignored gender-related issues (141) In the “final disposition”, the Supreme Court stalled their decision as Celia’s execution date grew near (123). Rather than fair trial, the question of her fate was a wholly moral dilemma (123). The author concludes that “Celia’s trial demonstrates that gender … was a significant factor in shaping slave law” (141). Because of her identity, Celia would not be given a fair trial, but rather, a performance by the judge. Ignoring her pleas of defense would discourage rebellion from other slaves and keep southern slave-owners in power. After Celia was found and returned to the jail, she was killed at the gallows (135). Works Cited McLaurin, Melton. Celia, a Slave. Athens, Georgia, USA: University of Georgia Press, 1991. Print.
Have you ever had something of great value be taken from you and then feeling emotionally empty? In Celia Garth, Gwen Bristow desires to share the important message of Celia Garth’s past to the characters and readers. Memories prove that Celia got through the war and the bells provided a stress free period. Her memories were resembled through the bells of St.Michaels Church. The past demonstrated in Celia’s eyes about the war and what the bells reminded her of.
The first of the main characters that are introduced are Celia’s master, Robert Newsom. Mr. Newsom was a wealthy landowner in Callaway County. In 1850, after the death of his wife, Robert Newsom purchased a fourteen year old slave girl from nearby Audrain County. Now as far as McLaurin can tell Newsom purchased Celia for no other reason than a sexual chattel. The night that Newsom purchased Celia it was “on his return to Callaway County, Newsom raped Celia, and by that act at once established and defined the nature of the relationship…” (McLaurin 24). From the time that Newsom first acquires Celia, he begins to rape her on a regular basis. Although it was generally accepted as being morally wrong for a slave master to sexually abuse a slave, Robert Newsom seems to view her as his property, to do with as he pleased rather than as a human being. McLaurin states that “…Celia’s rape by her new master would have been a psychologically devastating experience, one which would have had a profound effect upon her” (25). Even though the “u...
Slavery is a term that can create a whirlwind of emotions for everyone. During the hardships faced by the African Americans, hundreds of accounts were documented. Harriet Jacobs, Charles Ball and Kate Drumgoold each shared their perspectives of being caught up in the world of slavery. There were reoccurring themes throughout the books as well as varying angles that each author either left out or never experienced. Taking two women’s views as well as a man’s, we can begin to delve deeper into what their everyday lives would have been like. Charles Ball’s Fifty Years in Chains and Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl were both published in the early 1860’s while Kate Drumgoold’s A Slave Girl’s Story came almost forty years later
The case also sheds a light upon the unequal slave treatment that already belittled the black, but oppressed black women even more. Celia’s story about the relationship between her and her slave master, Robert Newson, brought attention to the unequal protection laws for slaves. The story helps illustrate the realities of slave life in America and the personal choices slavery forced upon slaves and slave-owners. The outcome of Celia’s trial was an eye-opener that slavery was definitely inhumane, and help influence the prohibition of
Harriet Jacobs and Olaudah Equiano were two African American writers who first handedly wrote and told about the cruel, savage experiences about the hardships of slavery. In Harriet Jacobs, “Incident in the life of a slave girl”, Jacobs endured numerous cases of sexual abuse as opposed to Equiano who, “ The Interesting Narrative Life of Olaudah Equiano” who suffered from various incidents of physical torture. Upon review of both captivity narratives, Jacobs and Equiano share common characteristics of their experiences from their sufferings, loss from family and resilience to escape their current situation.
Women who were enslaved during the slave period endured much suffrage. Not only were they the subject of chattel slavery, but some were also molested by their masters, for their own personal pleasure. In some cases, masters would pair “good breeders” together so their farm would benefit and they would have more slaves. This behavior would lead to force rape. The purpose of the book is to demonstrate how slavery crippled African American slaves from defending themselves due to oppression, particularly women. The trial of Celia, A Slave opens a gateway where people’s morals and actions were put into question after the death of her master. Themes such as gender oppression, chattel slavery, race, prejudice, revolt are some themes present in Celia,
Women slaves were subject to unusually cruel treatment such as rape and mental abuse from their master’s, their unique experience must have been different from the experience men slaves had. While it is no secret that the horrors of the institution of slavery were terrible and unimaginable; those same horrors were no big deal for southern plantation owners. Many engaged in cruelty towards their slaves. Some slave owners took particular interest in their young female slaves. Once caught in the grips of a master’s desire it would have been next to impossible to escape. In terms of actual escape from a plantation most women slaves had no reason to travel and consequentially had no knowledge of the land. Women slaves had the most unfortunate of situations; there were no laws that would protect them against rape or any injustices. Often the slave that became the object of the master’s desires would also become a victim of the mistress of the household. Jealousy played a detrimental role in the dynamic the enslaved women were placed within. Regardless of how the slave felt she could have done little to nothing to ease her suffering.
This account of enduring adversity begins with a man by the name of Robert Newsom. After his wife passed away he apparently craved the need for sexual fulfillment. He came to the conclusion that the best possible way to nourish his craving was by purchasing a young, healthy slave to keep as his personal "mistress". So at the age of 14, Celia became a white-man's sexual object. Over time Celia accepted her role in the Newsom household and bore two of Newsom's children. Towards the end of her five years at the Newsom farm she began a personal romance with another slave by the name of George. Finally, George's masculine pride erupted and he demanded that Celia end this sexual relationship with Newsom. Celia went to Newsom in an effort to stop the nature of their affair, but was unsuccessful in doing so. Out of desperation it is believed that Celia even went to Newsom's two daughters, Virginia and Mary, who still lived with their father, to plead protection from him and his enforced sexual interactions, with no luck once again.
In Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, the author subjects the reader to a dystopian slave narrative based on a true story of a woman’s struggle for self-identity, self-preservation and freedom. This non-fictional personal account chronicles the journey of Harriet Jacobs (1813-1897) life of servitude and degradation in the state of North Carolina to the shackle-free promise land of liberty in the North. The reoccurring theme throughout that I strive to exploit is how the women’s sphere, known as the Cult of True Womanhood (Domesticity), is a corrupt concept that is full of white bias and privilege that has been compromised by the harsh oppression of slavery’s racial barrier. Women and the female race are falling for man’s
In “The End of Food” by Lizzie Widdicombe, a new food substitute, Soylent, is claimed to be able to completely push traditional, solid foods out of the picture. The author quotes Ethan Brown saying, “The main challenge with food tech is cultural.” The difficulties food tech companies face in getting people to get outside of their comfort zone and try new foods made me recall an experience I had when I was younger. I grew up as a picky eater and an introvert; I rarely ever tried food which was not in my normal diet, and I never met new people. Looking back at my youth, I realize much of my cultural ignorance at the time tied directly into me not wanting to get outside of my comfort zone. In the 8th grade, I went on a trip to Washington D. C.
Slavery in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries consisted of brutal and completely unjust treatment of African-Americans. Africans were pulled from their families and forced to work for cruel masters under horrendous conditions, oceans away from their homes. While it cannot be denied that slavery everywhere was horrible, the conditions varied greatly and some slaves lived a much more tolerable life than others. Examples of these life styles are vividly depicted in the personal narratives of Olaudah Equiano and Mary Prince. The diversity of slave treatment and conditions was dependent on many different factors that affected a slave’s future. Mary Prince and Olaudah Equiano both faced similar challenges, but their conditions and life styles
Celia, A Slave by Melton McLaurin tells a true story of a female slave who was sexually exploited by her master and the trial she faced as a result. At the young age of fourteen, Celia was brought to Callaway County under her new master, Robert Newsom. Celia later murdered Newsom, in an act of self-defense, and was placed on a trial challenging the institute of slavery and the moral beliefs of anyone involved with slavery in the South. The short life of the young Celia revealed a slave girl who had pushed beyond the ideal limit of a system that denied her humanity and threatened to erode the base of the antebellum southern society.
To understand the desperation of wanting to obtain freedom at any cost, it is necessary to take a look into what the conditions and lives were like of slaves. It is no secret that African-American slaves received cruel and inhumane treatment. Although she wrote of the horrific afflictions experienced by slaves, Linda Brent said, “No pen can give adequate description of the all-pervading corruption produced by slavery." The life of a slave was never a satisfactory one, but it all depended on the plantation that one lived on and the mast...
In conclusion, women were considered property and slave holders treated them as they pleased. We come to understand that there was no law that gave protection to female slaves. Harriet Jacob’s narrative shows the true face of how slaveholders treated young female slave. The female slaves were sexually exploited which damaged them physically and psychologically. Furthermore it details how the slave holder violated the most sacred commandment of nature by corrupting the self respect and virtue of the female slave. Harriet Jacob writes this narrative not to ask for pity or to be sympathized but rather to show the white people to be aware of how female slaves constantly faced sexual exploitation which damaged their body and soul.
"Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women." Why was slavery "far more terrible for women"? In Harriet A. Jacobs’s memoir, she shows people the additional horrors and brutalities that an enslaved men went through, but enslaved women were often used as “breeders”. The enslaved women went through further horrors than men, they had to bore pain and degradation.