Slavery by Another Name

"Slavery By Another Name"

Slavery of the African American culture is embedded in the history of the United States. Until the 13th amendment was passed late 19th Century, African Americans were forced into serving the upper-class of the south, even enduring whippings and starvation if they did not rise to the standards of the masters. "Slavery By Another Name", a movie by PBS, explores the meaning of slavery and how it affected the history of our country.

In opposition of their masters, the slaves wanted to rise against the mistreatments of their people and create a life worth living. They wanted to acquire their own land, make their own hours, and be considered a free citizen just like others could. At many points during their indentured servitude, rebellions were secretly planned throughout all of the plantations. Although unsuccessful, these attempted rebellions stirred unease and dissatisfaction among the slaves. If the master found out the slaves were attempting to escape, they were immediately executed or whipped until their bodies were nothing but ripped flesh and bones. The Underground Railroad was a secret path created to get the slaves safely to freedom in the North. Many brave souls would open their doors along the way for the slaves to run from the officials in the south. Many were captured, but to the demise of the masters, there were many who reached the place where a new and improved life waited for them.

Once Abraham Lincoln and the United States government passed the 13th amendment, there were steps to be taken to ensure the country was going to turn over a new leaf. Although the steps were small, their first step was to allow African American children to attend public schools for their education. Adults were allowed to begin to sell things in markets, such as crops. However, I found it interesting that they were not allowed to sell their products at dark. This was to alleviate any crimes against white families. Unfortunately, the inequalities still remained in everyday society. "Pig laws" were rules that enhanced misdemeanor offenses to felony offenses for solely African Americans. Also, African Americans were told that they were not permitted to get in the way of Caucasians as they walked on the sidewalk. It was imminent that they moved to out of the way of the white people.

Vagrancy statues were laws enacted that said African Americans had to prove at anytime to anyone that they were employed. If they failed to produce the documents to prove their employment, they were immediately incarcerated. Even after African Americans obtained their freedom, some whites still mistreated them. For example, they were falsely arrested and convicted for crimes they did not commit. These were only a few ways that former slaves were still prevented from joining the American society.

The film relates to our class with Frederick Douglas because