Guest Author - Cindy Kessler
The whitewashed history of America clearly states that with Abraham Lincoln’s issue of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments (which abolished slavery, guaranteed citizenship, and ensured voting rights regardless of race), African Americans were freed from the bonds of slavery. It’s supposed that, despite a rocky period of Reconstruction in the South, that they were largely receiving their “40 acres and a mule” or, as more recent accounts have shown, that they were working for their old masters as sharecroppers – receiving at least meager compensation for their toils.
No where in this history does it mention that slavery continued. No where does it mention that African Americans were systematically rounded up and put to work in mines, turpentine and logging camps, or back on large cotton plantations.
Until now…
With the release of Slavery by Another Name; The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II Douglas Blackmon presents what had only been whispered at – myths or legends that couldn’t possibly contain an iota of truth – for all to see truthfully.
Through meticulous research, Blackmon has uncovered evidence – hidden away for decades – of the sanctioned re-enslavement of African Americans from just after the Civil War until well into the 1940s.
This is shocking and abhorrent for most – but for some, it comes as a relief: a plausible explanation for the discrepancies in advancement, and for a well-earned mistrust of authority. It seemed to be a common misconception in the early twentieth century that African American society hadn’t advanced as far as white Americans because of a basic lack of ability. This book categorically shows how African Americans were held back in virtually every manner – forced into abject poverty, even after they were supposed to be free to seek their own fortunes.
The book shows accounts of African Americans arrested on trumped up or completely false charges, fined by corrupt judges and justices of the peace, and then forced to sign labor contracts and work for those who had “bought” their debts until they had been repaid. In some cases, the number of arrests directly corresponds to the demand for cheap labor.
Once either the debts had been “repaid” or the court’s sentence was about to expire, the prisoner would be charged with yet another crime – sometimes the mere act of leaving a job – and hauled back to work. But, only if they lived that long.
Disease was rampant, as was death by exposure – for the workers were clothed as little as possible, or death by starvation – for feeding them cut into profits, or, as in all too many cases, death at the hands of the whipping boss, the search party, or other prisoners.
This incredibly high mortality rate was one difference between the Antebellum slavery many of their ancestor’s had endured and the “peonage” of the 20th century. In years gone by, slaves had been an investment – costing a great some of money, and worth the effort to clothe and feed properly to ensure long lives and lots of generations to come. In the new system, a human’s life was worth just a small fraction of that – in some cases as little as a few dollars. It wasn’t worth the money for food, clothing or decent housing – it was simply cheaper to let them die and purchase a new worker.
There are a few bright points, especially through stories of individuals who make it their personal mission to stop the injustice. But it’s basically a very grim tale.
This book is very hard to read on a couple of levels. It makes use of a lot of quotes that use language that is absolutely offensive to modern sensibilities, but was sadly the standard at the time. It contains accounts of such blatant mistreatment, and such disregard for humanity, that some accounts are quite literally nauseating. Finally, there is such a breadth of information, such a long time span to cover, and so many stories that intermingle, that, in places, it is a bit difficult to follow. (Personal note: Once I started reading with the thought that these were separate, yet serialized newspaper articles, it was less difficult to follow.)
Despite all of this, I feel like this book is a “must read.” It definitely falls into my category of “learn it now, before we are doomed to repeat it.”
Visit the Slavery By Another Name website
