Unit 10 Discussion: Slave Culture and Resistance
Slavery was undoubtedly one of the most horrific legal institutions that led economic and political life during the time. Slaves faced cruel punishments and they were dehumanized due to the dreadful conditions they were forced to endure. As a result, slaves created a unique culture that consisted of folklore, music, religion, and many other African practices.
Slaves who faced the American slave system responded with “soul force”. Soul force can be considered at the “force of love when responding to conflict.” Many religious songs that slave united under gave praise to God. They had deep faith that one day all slaves would be liberated. Slaves stayed hopeful through their faith and this allowed them to escape the deprived truth they lived in.[1] Slaves sang many traditional spiritual songs that helped them unify and experience some sort of joy with God. Many of the songs they sang held hidden messages as they planned for liberation. For instance, some sang, “Over my head, there’s music in the air; There must be a God somewhere.”[2] A master may have just seen that as slave hoping to enter heaven. Slaves’ religious faith gave them strength and fortified their hope in being unshackled from their chains.
Folklore was another system that helped slaves create a unique culture. Slaves used folklores to note their experiences under the slave system. They expressed the sinfulness and wickedness of the harsh system they were forced to endure. They used animals in their stories in the roles of speaking humans. Usually, the smaller but clever animals represented slaves, while the bigger animals represented evil. One animal that slaves viewed highly of was the rabbit. “It is not surprising that the slaves adopted the rabbit as their hero and called it brother, or “brer”… The slaves also perceived the rabbit as being, like themselves, as innocent victim pursued by larger, more powerful enemies.”[3] Although salves under control, were harmed and degraded physically, they always believed that they were morally superior to masters. Simon Brown was a slave who told many stories in such ways that listeners would be terrified.[4]
Culture gave the slaves a sense of unity. Although they had no physical weapons against their masters, this unity served as a huge threat to the cruel white masters. For instance, the hidden messages in their songs and folklore were a form of rebellion to the system of slavery. Religion gave the slaves hope and allowed them to feel superior in a moral sense. This was their triumph and it kept them fighting until they were liberated. This unique culture also gave many slaves the strength to try and run away and even defy their masters. Although under the cruel system of slavery, slaves created this culture that helped them resist their oppressors.
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