Summary
Through her narrative, Harriet Jacobs sheds light on the multiple dimensions of oppression endured by enslaved women, including sexual exploitation, physical abuse, family separation, dehumanization, and the denial of agency and education. Her account offers a powerful and personal perspective on the experiences of enslaved women during that time.
Enslaved women faced numerous challenges and endured severe abuse within the institution of slavery. Harriet Jacobs, in “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” provides poignant descriptions of the hardships they endured. Here are some examples with referenced quotations:
Sexual Exploitation: Enslaved women were subjected to sexual exploitation by their enslavers. Jacobs vividly portrays this injustice, stating, “Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women. Superadded to the burden common to all, they have wrongs, and sufferings, and mortifications peculiarly their own” (Chapter 4).
Physical Violence: Enslaved women experienced physical violence as a means of punishment and control. Jacobs writes, “I have often been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back till she was literally covered with blood” (Chapter 5).
Family Separation: Enslaved women were forcibly separated from their families through sale or forced migration. Jacobs reflects on this tragedy, stating, “But the slave mother had no sanctuary of her own, wherein she could hide her little ones” (Chapter 10).
Dehumanization and Objectification: Enslaved women were treated as commodities and denied their basic humanity. Jacobs emphasizes this dehumanization, saying, “Slavery is a curse to the whites as well as to the blacks. It makes the white fathers cruel and sensual; the sons violent and licentious; it contaminates the daughters and makes the wives wretched” (Chapter 30).
Lack of Legal Protection: Enslaved women had no legal recourse or protection against abuse and mistreatment. Jacobs explains, “There is no shadow of law to protect her from insult, from violence, or even from death; all these are inflicted by friends who bear the shape of men” (Chapter 17).
These references and quotations from Harriet Jacobs’ narrative highlight the immense challenges and systemic abuse suffered by enslaved women. They provide a glimpse into the harsh realities faced by these women within the institution of slavery, underscoring the urgent need for justice, equality, and recognition of their humanity.
Through this video titled “Women’s Experience Under Slavery” from Crash Course Black American History #11 that I posted; Clint Smith reveals another version of history relating different experiences of life of enslaved women. Compared to Jacobs Harriet experience’s, he explained in his comments the advantages that some enslaved women have unlike men who are dedicated to hard field work. But I note that this was only a hidden face of the wickedness of these masters who find their benefits in using the woman as a slave reproduction machine since the children of the slave women become property of their master. This is similar to a shepherd who feeds his flock and especially the females in order to increase the number of his ewes and then get profit by selling them.
To conclude, Through Jacobs’ narrative, we gain a profound understanding of the resilience and strength exhibited by these women in the face of unimaginable hardships. Despite the oppressive system, they found ways to assert their agency and preserve their dignity, often in the most challenging circumstances.
The experiences of enslaved women highlight the urgent need for justice, equality, and recognition of their fundamental rights as human beings. Their stories serve as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring struggle for freedom and dignity.
It is crucial that we acknowledge and confront the historical and ongoing impacts of slavery on women, ensuring that their voices and stories are heard and that their experiences inform our understanding of the past and shape a more just and equitable future.
Hi Babatounde, I really appreciate all of the specific instances of abuse you’ve highlighted. Especially where you mentioned how slave women were seen as a means of production for increase a slave owner’s “stock”. We discussed in class how the number of slaves in the Americas increased after slaves stopped being traded from across the Atlantic, and this is one of the very specific reasons as to why that happened.
I appreciate your blog post not only for its acknowledgment of the heart-wrenching experiences of women during slavery and the significance of recognizing the historical context of this country but also for emphasizing the importance of women’s voices and stories that need to be heard and recognized to positively influence the future (and maybe prevent the repetition of the disturbing past) making this world a more inclusive and equatable place
I really appreciate how you highlighted how some women who were doing housework were considered being on the master’s graces was actually just a facade to take advantage. Often times masters had the hidden agenda to sexually take advantage of the women slaves in the house. It was also considered normal since slaves were property, and with property you can do as you wish. Masters would break the slave in whatever way possible. By taking sex from the women, she could no longer feel empowered or wanted by anyone.
I agree that slavery was worst to women than men, I always thought this and Harriet’s descriptions of the mother’s pain when her children are ripped from her hands confirmed my opinion. Family separation and sexual exploitation is immensely put on women especially when women are raped by their owners, are forced to give birth to multiple children that end up also being abused creating generational trauma and a source of income for the owners like you said (slave reproduction machine).
Your post does a great job of highlighting the instances of sexual exploitation, physical violence, family separation, dehumanization, and the lack of legal protection that enslaved women endured. It draws attention to the specific vulnerability of enslaved women to sexual exploitation by their enslavers. The quotation provided underscores the added burdens and sufferings unique to enslaved women, emphasizing the gendered nature of the institution of slavery. It emphasizes the severe injustices these women faced and the lasting impact they had on their lives.