Slavery, the War on Black Family
While slavery in America was an institution that was started over 400 years ago, the affects were so horrific that it is still felt today by modern day African Americans. Many families had to deal with the constant stress of being sold which made it difficult to have a normal family life. Slaves were sold to pay off debts, an owner dying and his slaves were sold in an estate sale, or when an owner’s children would leave the home to begin a life of their own, they would take slaves with them. Often times, children were not raised by their parents, other family members of someone designated to watch the children because the mother and father had to work long hours and the children were too young to join them.
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Slaves were views as property and in the Southern States property could not enter into a contract, and marriage is a well known contract. The fact that they could not legally marry meant that a permanent family could not be guaranteed under the American Slave life. Enslave black couples used old African traditions to unite the families. One of the most well known acts of pledging their love for one another was “Jumping the Broom”. (Braddy 1) This is when an old straw broom or sticks were laid at the feet of the bride and groom, and together they jump the broom to show that the two families were joined. The broom ceremony is said to be a tradition that was kept from its original ancestral origins in Africa. This act of nuptials to this day is still in effect in the African American community. Although they had this act they were still did not have any rights to live together or to raise children together like a normal family. It was common for enslaved parents and children to live apart. The slave parents couldn’t even protect their children from the will of their master. There was some mercy shown to slaves by their owner’s. The Christmas holiday, the one break from work during the year for slaves, was anticipated with excitement because it allowed separated family members to meet and spend a week together. To this day, African American families hold family reunions in …show more content…
During the Civil War, it is said that almost 180,000 Black Soldiers served in the Union Army. The families of these soldiers would camp in nearby makeshift villages to be near their husbands, sons and fathers. The soldiers assisted them the best they could by share food and clothing from their military rations. Nearly 40,000 Black Soldiers died during the course of the war with 30,000 due to infections and diseases. Although Blacks were giving the chance to fight for their freedom, they were still not looked as equals. Black soldiers served in artillery and infantry and performed all noncombat support functions that sustain an army, as well. Black carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters also contributed to the war cause. (Freeman1) The North thought of slavery as immoral but they still did not want to fight and die next to Black Soldiers, and Blacks captured as POWs by the Confederate Army was treated far more severely than their White counter
Through this movie we can see how at the start officers of the union army would not supply the Massachusetts 54th with supplies they needed, we can see how Shawn had to fight to get shoes and union uniforms to the men. We can see how Shawn had to fight also to get the officers to start considering the infantry for the actual fighting because at the start they were created they were only seen as useful for manual work and later for the raiding of confederate houses, but not for anything else. Glory shows how the members of the infantry also had to fight while receiving sometimes the rough or unfair treatment of their trainers, the lack of supplies and of fair payment and the threats from the confederate government that if they found any black person fighting with the union, they would be executed. But the movie also shows how they did not think at any moment of the option of leaving leave the infantry and instead when they finally were given the opportunity to fight many of them were motivated and excited to finally be given the opportunity to fight and defend the
In fact, there were more execution of soldiers for crimes like desertion, unmerited murder and rape during the Civil War than in any other war. In forcing soldiers to gather around and watch their former comrade be killed, it re-established the emphasis on the "Good Death" theory, in which it was better to die an honorable death "for God and Country", than it was to attempt to escape. It also served as a warning for anyone who wanted to determine their fate off of the battle field. For many African Americans in the war, the act of killing was directly connected to their quest for collective and individual freedom. For many African Americans who did not participate in the war saw the mass casualties of white men as an just act of God. "
The injustices of slavery were very large at the time, because there were so many. Slaves were separated from their families at very early ages,
After the war, freed slaves were denied the right to vote, they were not provided with jobs or a safe place to go once they were free, and there were groups of people
At first a holiday may see like just the thing to give the slaves humanity, they are in fact the opposite. These holidays are meant to diffuse rebellious thoughts and to encourage the slaves to be lazy. Douglass states that “A slave who would work during the holidays was considered by our masters as scarcely deserving them […] It was deemed a disgrace
Families got broken up because slave owner wouldn’t buy all of them he/she would buy the family member then leave out of state separating them from the rest of their family. Back then they would whip, kill, and/ or rape black people for any reason they felt
Kinship was the common way of life in Africa and didn’t completely discontinue upon arrival in the states but was made nearly impossible by the deliberate separating of the slaves. The slaves were forced to create new bonds with other slaves brought to the plantation as well but always carried the fear of forced separation with them as well. Marriage was not a legal possibility between African slaves but they would still try to share some marital bond. Often times the married slaves would be split up at some point and made to spend the rest of their married lives separate from their partner.
It carved it’s violent, delusional and shameful success into the fabric of our nation. It made America a world player economically with the dominance of cotton production. Slavery made political leaders of the worst instigators of the terrible practice and would eventually lead to the bloodiest war in our history. The phantom of slavery hung like a cloud of life in the South and existed as a necessary evil at best and a way of life to others. But nothing can be described as more tragic than those who lived it, wasting years of precious life in the cruel and twistedly justified ownership of another human being.
Some believed this was against religious teachings while others saw this as a way of profit. But what about the slaves and the families that were affected. In this essay, it will explain what slave marriages are, how it affected the plantation owners, and how it affected the families. Slave marriages were marriages between two slaves. When slaves wanted to get married, they must ask for the plantation owners blessing in order for it to happen.
Marriage Rituals Before the Civil War Marriage traditions of white individuals were immensely diverse in comparison to the relationships between two enslaved African Americans. Although the relation of two married slaves contrasted with those of white people, neither marriages were eminently enjoyable. Pragmatism, when the parents of a young woman would chose their daughter 's husband, was frequent before the Civil War (“A History of the American Wedding”). While people of the white race had an insufficient impact on the decisions made by their parents, most enslaved individuals were able to choose their spouse.
Have you ever wondered how life was for the slaves in the South? Slaves in the South suffered through many consequences. For example, they suffered through many whippings with cow skin if they didn't obey their master, they also got separated from their family mostly the fathers, so, they can be sold to a very mean slave owner. Even if they were living a miserable life on the farms, they had their own culture and they managed to even get married in the farmland or where they worked. Not only did the slaves live on the farm.
Being enslaved was not an easy job for African Americans. African Americans survived slavery through their connection with their culture. They then went on to contribute to the economic and social development of the South and America. African Americans survived the institution of slavery and Africanized the American South. They helped free themselves by sticking together as a family, resisting, as well as wanting slavery to change.
Becoming a Confederate victory, the others are forced to retreat. All the dead bodies are put into mass graves, including Robert Shaw 's. Despite this, by the end of the American Civil War, more than 180,000 African Americans were in uniform, and ready to fight in the war together hand in hand. This movie was a really powerful movie showing that there is no difference among blacks and whites, and that everyone is the same with a heart that functions, and the power to go to war and fight for their
Hubbs, G. Ward by reviewing Aaron Sheehan-Dean’s book “Why Confederates Fought: Family and Nation in Civil War Virginia" explains: “The soldiers had once enlisted to protect slavery, but their motives were now more complex and more personal.” It is quite understandable that a West or Southwest Virginian soldier’s motivation whose economy was not much dependant on slavery varied with a Tidewater area soldier who was living in a farm. Furthermore, it is predictable that a soldier’s primary main motivation from Southern cause, patriotism, honor, or masculinity at the time of enlistment could have been aggravated and replaced later with “revenge” by losing his brother or father during the battle for instance or even decreased and replaced later with a “Sustaining motivation” just enough to keep him in the army as a result of exhaustion and disgust of this “brother against brother” War of attrition. “I can 't say I am surprised to hear that you are inclined to become a soldier, but I shall be very sorry to hear that you have done so. I am heartily sick, disgusted and worn out with the Army and shall look upon the day I receive my discharge as one of the happiest in my life, but I am willing to remain till the war is over and do what little I can to aid in putting
In the past, marriage licenses didn’t exist so tying of a cord around the wrist showed that they were letting the public know they belong to each other. Finally, the clergyman will announce the couple as Mr. and Mrs. to the guest. This point to incorporate the African traditions again, Afro Americans perform the jumping of the broom. A broom usually decorated with the wedding colors and flowers will be place on the floor in front of the couple.