Slave experience in north america Research Paper

Slave experience in north america - Research Paper Example The implications and nature of slavery in North America can be better understood by focusing and researching on the different experiences of slaves in the region. However, most scholars have deliberately failed to employ the different documented records of the experiences of slaves. Nonetheless, each black family of different social groups, which was involved in slavery, has their own opinions and views about the whole practice.1 However, researchers in the study of slavery in North America have neglected the testimonies of various past slaves. Therefore, using different documented records, including slave narratives and interviews, this paper will explain the slave experience in North America. Slavery for the black men and women in North America was a devastating experience for both of the genders. First, both black men and women slaves brought to North America were forcefully taken out of their homes. Therefore, this had separated them from their families, which they would never se e again. All slaves in North America were subjected to similar treatment, regardless of their gender. Therefore, both men and women were forced to perform hard and grueling tasks, which were highly mentally and physically demanding. The slaves were also regarded as property, therefore were not entitled to any form of rights. Male slaves were more in number compared to the female slaves, since these were considered stronger, thus capable of many heavy tasks. Therefore, while males were assigned jobs such as carpentry and blacksmithing, most of their female counterparts worked in the agricultural fields and were also assigned other jobs such as cooking. The gender divide was not respected in slavery. Motherhood was debased for all the female slaves. While motherhood and reproduction was highly upheld in the slaves’ homeland prior to their slavery, in slavery, this was regarded beneficial to the slave masters, since it led to the multiplication of their number of slaves, thus in creased labour supply. The masters also exploited the black women slaves sexually, since their spouses could not offer protection to them. Nonetheless, slaves responded differently to their slavery situations. Women had to persevere in slavery for the sake of their children, as the African nature emphasized the role of a mother as a caregiver, thus they sacrificed their comfort for the sake of their loved ones. On the other hand, most male slaves considered escape as the main solution to run away from slavery and protect their ego and masculinity.2 In the early 20th century, most journalist and writers showed interest in the topic of slavery, and therefore wished to debunk the various incidences and experiences, which comprised the practice of slavery. Therefore, between the years 1936-1938, journalists and writers in the United States embarked on the task of looking out for former slaves in different states, and interviewing them, in order to reveal and learn about the slavery expe rience in North America. In their interviews, the journalists and writers interviewed close to 3,000 former slaves. However, most of the interviewees were those born in the last period of slavery and others during the period of the civil war. Nonetheless, these provided first-hand accounts of the experiences,