February is Black History Month. You’re probably thinking, what exactly does that mean? Why do they get a month and white people don’t? Black History Month was created to honor the struggle that people of color have had to face since the beginning of time. Although every individual life is valid, history has always favored white people, as we know. February is the month where black creators, writers, musicians, doctors, etc., should be highlighted and celebrated. Although people of color should always be praised for their hard work, this month is dedicated to letting their voices shine through in a society where they still struggle to find validation and praise.
When you picture 1800’s America, what do you see? You most likely imagine a divided nation with opposing ideas and morality. Although this is true, it does not begin to explain the true horror of the South and how slaves were treated in the South. We all were taught in history class about the severe beatings and whippings the slaves received, and although those alone are terrible, there are many other punishments that they neglected to mention in our textbooks.
- Burning
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Slaves were punished severely for many different reasons, whether it be not working fast enough, singing, talking back, and even for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Slave owners felt powerful being able to have slaves, so they wanted to ride that power trip, even if it went too far. Many slave owners used fire and heat to abuse their slaves. Oftentimes, they were branded with hot metal tools. The branding image varied, but the first initial of the plantation owner was usual. In extreme circumstances, slaves were burned at the stake, alive.
- Sexual Assault
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Many female and male slaves were victims of sexual assault, rape, and forced marriages during Colonial America. One of the most popular punishments for female slave was rape, which resulted in pregnancy many times. While pregnant, female slaves were still beaten and mistreated, as well as expected to work just as hard. Some women were even raped in public. Although this occurred mostly with female slaves, the men were not exempt from being sexually assaulted and were also tortured sexually. The enslaved men and women who endured this torture did not have the choice to say no, or they would be killed. They were forced to let these men rob them of their power and voice.
- Collars
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When slaves misbehaved, they would have to wear heavy iron collars around their necks. These collars were exceedingly uncomfortable, making it difficult to do tasks such as eat, sleep, and work. If a slave would misbehave, heavy chains were added onto the hooks of the collar. Since slaves would have trouble eating and sleeping, they would not have enough energy to work, resulting in further punishment. Many slaves were choked due to the tightness of the collars, or the plantation owner would put the collar on in a way that they knew would kill them.
Although there are many other horrific punishments that slaves endured, these are just a few. Black History Month was created to honor the barbaric torture that people of color succumbed to and highlight the obstacles they have overcome.
Sources:
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=d1998315c48a426295b73e44c7ffa562