African Americans: From Captivity to Freedom - Research Paper

Introduction

The origin of African Americans is from the Atlantic slave trade that involved the transportation of black people from Africa to America. The Africans brought from Africa were made slaves, and they were captured in the raids or the African wars. A higher number of African Americans came from central and western Africa. A smaller portion of African Americans descended from groups that lived in Southeastern and Eastern Africa, which included the Yoruba, Hausa, Makua, and Bakongo, among others. Though these ethic groups captured and transported in the Atlantic slave trade varied in religion, language and customs, they all had a common way of life, which was different from that of the white people. Transportation from Africa to America was a horrific experience that even resulted in the death of many. Without doubt, African Americans are a group that has dealt with so much oppression for a very long period.

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Treatment of Africans Americans

The notion that slaves were subjects of the owner and are controlled according to her or his own will made the African Americans be treated like merchandise. During the Atlantic slave trade period, the slaves were purchased, exchanged with other items, mortgaged like domestic animals and sold out.

They went through various types of mistreatment, which ranged from manual labor to serfdom. In 1600, slavery was legalized, and they were defined as the property of the owner who could be bought, traded, mortgaged or sold according to owner's will. The fact that the slaves were under the care and control of the owner exposed them to cruel punishment and sexual abuse. The slaves who were lucky to work in the home of their master were treated as servants, and they performed duties like cleaning, laundry, making dinner as well taking care of the master's children.

Though these home servants worked for long hours, they enjoyed the fact that they had clean clothes, nice meal, and a better roof. Those who worked in the plantations had dreadful experiences and suffered from cruel punishment. In the 17th century, the tasks assigned to slaves depended on gender and age where men did more of the hard labor, such as working in factories and plantations. The females were forced by their master into sexual relationships with an objective of reproduction. They were defiled where many were tattooed, branded and forced to wear particular clothes that represented slaves. In 1619, blacks were enslaved, discriminated and had no power. They were referred to as lazy people, and both the local and national government encouraged racism.

Rights and Privileges Denied To African Americans

Between the years 1492 and 1865, African Americans were subjected to discrimination, and they could not even enjoy the inalienable rights. They were deprived of their original land and were enslaved. The slaves were oppressed and denied freedom and were treated as inferior creatures. The inferiority made them vulnerable and led to denial of rights and privileges that were enjoyed by other Americans. The black people were viewed as property, and they could not sue in a court of law. The black community could also not access education which left the children of black people uneducated. During this period racial discrimination denied the black community an opportunity to start businesses, and they were often mistreated in white people establishments and enterprises. The Africans were wholly disconnected from their community life as well as their families2. Women were separated from their husbands, and this gave the masters easy access to rape them. The concept of slavery not only hindered formation of families but it also made family life hard, if not impossible. Enslaved individuals were denied the right to enter into contracts and they could not marry legally in any state.

Hardships Endured by African Americans

In 1790, the majority of enslaved people worked in factories, large farms, and plantations, which was one of the hardest tasks. Those working in the plantations were continuously transferred and sold than those working as servants in the house of the master. This led to separation of families where parents were cut off from their children. The enslaved people were also subjected to severe punishment and brutality because they were considered as properties and inferior. The penalty was harsh and whipping was for minor mistakes while mutilation and death were prescribed for strict offenses. There was a strict racial policing which was meant to ensure that the slaves would not be in a position to revolt against their masters.

An enslaved man who was a father and a husband was forced to strip his daughter and wife and whip them. They were also made to wear iron collars around their neck and drag heavy chains with their feet while working at the plantations. Their limbs and backs were often cut with knives, and they were forced to wear gags for days. The master rubbed red pepper on the slaves' lacerated flesh and broke their teeth to increase torture. To some extent, the enslaved people had their bones broken, their eyes removed, and their ears cut, and at times they were whipped to death.

Opposition to Unjust Treatment

Despite the severe punishments and hardships, slaves managed to unite and oppose unfair treatment. In 1831, an enslaved man in Virginia organized a rebellion, which started by killing his owner, and in 24 hours, sixty white people were killed by the enslaved rebels. There were acts of daily resistance where men and women would steal food from their masters and intentionally destroy crops as well as break farm tools. Though escape attempts were considered uncertain and dangerous, most of the African Americans fled to free states. An estimation of around 400,000 people had escaped from the slave system by the start of 1600.

The system of slavery was resisted every day by the enslaved people in their workplaces. In the early 1800s, majority of black people who had gained freedom in the 18th and 17th centuries started to call for the termination of slavery. African Americans raised the fight for nationwide abolition of slavery at the start of the 19th century. The main objective of the American Revolution was to ensure that African Americans had access to universal freedom as well inalienable rights. African Americans also formed various national, regional as well as local abolitionist societies and toured the whole country intending to call for termination of slavery.

Conclusion

In conclusion, survival was the primary aspect that unified the enslaved people despite the oppressing conditions of African American slavery. Oppression made African Americans develop techniques that would bring them together and pass on the cultural qualities from one generation to another about the slavery experience. The need for freedom is what led to formation of civil rights movement which allowed African Americans to view themselves as equal human beings.

Bibliography

Smith, Nishaun. "Slavery: An Excerpt From "The God Of The Bible Was An Important Outlet To African Americans During Slavery And Segregation: Freedom Itself Was Important To Americans Because Slavery And Life Are In Contrast"". Journal Of African American Studies 22 (2-3) (2018): 255-266. Doi:10.1007/s12111-018-9402-z.

Weixlmann, Joe.. "Post-Soul Satire: Black Identity After Civil Rights Ed. By Derek C. Maus And James J. Donahue". African American Review 48 (1-2) (March 2015): 220-222. doi:10.1353/afa.2015.0001.