Slave Life on the Old Plantation
Abstract
By the 1830s, a humanitarian movement had
begun to sweep the United States and some men were beginning
to examine the peculiar institution - slavery - and were calling for its abolition. Numerous books and articles were
written at the time describing slavery, and from these accounts
we can draw a picture of how the Negro slave lived
from day to day.
It is our purpose here to re-examine those early documents
and present an account of the life of the typical slave.
Since the vast majority of Negro slaves were employed on the
plantations of the old South, it is to this milieu we turned
our attention. We studied the day-to-day existence of the
plantation slave to learn how he was provided with the actual
necessities of life -- his food, clothing, shelter, and health
needs. In addition, we also studied the cultural influences
that shaped him -- his education, his relationship to his
God, his relationship to his family situation, and his entertainment.
It is our hope that we have presented an accurate picture
of the life of the Negro slave. Perhaps, with an insight into
his background and the influences that shaped him, we can gain
a better understanding of the Afro-American. If you are not a current K College student, faculty, or staff member, email dspace@kzoo.edu to request access to this SIP.