Glossary
African American Abolitionist Writings
Literary works by Black authors, including narratives, poetry, and plays, used to expose the brutality of slavery and advocate for its abolition.
Example:
Through African American abolitionist writings, formerly enslaved people like Frederick Douglass powerfully countered the myth of benevolent slavery, sharing their firsthand experiences of suffering and resistance.
Benign Slavery (Countering Claims of)
The false assertion that slavery was a benevolent or humane institution, often propagated by enslavers to justify their actions. Abolitionist writings directly challenged this myth.
Example:
Abolitionists used their personal testimonies to effectively counter claims of benign slavery, revealing the systemic brutality and dehumanization inherent in the institution.
Broadside for an Auction of Enslaved Persons at the Charleston Courthouse, 1859
A primary source document, typically a poster or advertisement, used to announce and promote the sale of enslaved individuals, often listing their names, ages, and skills.
Example:
The Broadside for an Auction of Enslaved Persons at the Charleston Courthouse, 1859, serves as tangible evidence of the commodification of human beings and the economic foundation of slavery.
Commodification of Human Beings
The process by which enslaved people were treated as mere property or goods to be bought, sold, and traded, stripping them of their humanity and rights.
Example:
The practice of slave auctions epitomized the commodification of human beings, where individuals were inspected and valued solely based on their potential labor and reproductive capacity.
Dehumanization
The process of depriving a person or group of positive human qualities, treating them as less than human, which was central to the system of slavery.
Example:
The brutal punishments and forced family separations at slave auctions were designed to inflict dehumanization, breaking the spirits of enslaved people and reinforcing their status as property.
Domestic Slave Trade
The internal buying and selling of enslaved people within the United States, particularly after the 1808 ban on the transatlantic slave trade.
Example:
The booming cotton industry in the Lower South fueled the domestic slave trade, leading to the forced migration of hundreds of thousands of enslaved individuals from the Upper South.
Institutionalized Racism
Systemic practices and policies embedded within societal structures that perpetuate racial inequality and discrimination, as seen in the legal and economic frameworks of slavery.
Example:
The legal framework that allowed for the sale and ownership of human beings, as evidenced by the broadside, demonstrates the deep-seated institutionalized racism of the antebellum South.
Narratives (Slave Narratives)
Firsthand autobiographical accounts written by formerly enslaved people, detailing their experiences under slavery and their journey to freedom.
Example:
Frederick Douglass's Narrative is a powerful narrative that vividly portrays the anguish of family separation and the intellectual awakening that fueled his fight for freedom.
Plays (Abolitionist Plays)
Dramatic works created by abolitionists to bring the horrors of slavery to life on stage, fostering empathy and garnering support for the movement.
Example:
William Wells Brown's The Escape is an early play that dramatizes the desperation of enslaved people seeking to avoid being sold, highlighting the constant threat of separation.
Poetry (Abolitionist Poetry)
A literary genre used by abolitionists to express the raw emotions and psychological impact of slavery, appealing to readers' empathy.
Example:
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's 'The Slave Auction' is a poignant example of poetry that captures the despair and helplessness felt by those subjected to the auction block.
Post-1808 Enslaved Population Growth
The increase in the enslaved population within the United States after the 1808 ban on the transatlantic slave trade, primarily driven by forced reproduction and the domestic slave trade.
Example:
The post-1808 enslaved population growth demonstrated how enslavers exploited enslaved women's reproductive capacity to meet the growing demand for labor in the cotton industry.
Primary Sources
Original materials from the time period being studied, offering direct evidence or firsthand accounts of events, such as slave narratives, broadsides, or letters.
Example:
For the AP African American Studies exam, analyzing primary sources like Solomon Northup's narrative and auction broadsides is crucial for understanding the lived experiences of enslaved people.
Resilience (of enslaved people)
The capacity of enslaved African Americans to withstand and recover from the immense physical, psychological, and emotional trauma inflicted by slavery, often through acts of resistance, cultural preservation, and hope.
Example:
Despite the constant threat of violence and separation, the resilience of enslaved people was evident in their their efforts to maintain family bonds, practice their cultures, and resist the system in various ways.
Second Middle Passage
The forced migration of over one million enslaved people from the Upper South to the Lower South between 1820 and 1860, driven by the expansion of the cotton industry.
Example:
The Second Middle Passage caused immense physical and psychological trauma, as enslaved individuals were forced to march in coffles across vast distances, shattering families and communities.
Slave Auctions
Public sales where enslaved people were bought and sold as property, characterized by extreme violence and dehumanization.
Example:
At a slave auction in New Orleans, families were often ripped apart, with children sold to one enslaver and parents to another, causing unimaginable grief.
Slave-Cotton System
The economic system prevalent in the Lower South where cotton production, reliant on a large enslaved workforce, was the primary driver of wealth and fueled the demand for enslaved labor.
Example:
The profitability of the slave-cotton system meant that enslaved people were seen as essential commodities, their value directly tied to the success of the cotton economy.
Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
A powerful slave narrative published in 1853, detailing Solomon Northup's experience as a free Black man kidnapped and sold into slavery for twelve years.
Example:
Solomon Northup's Twelve Years a Slave provides a firsthand account of the brutal realities of slavery, including the dehumanizing experience of family separation at auctions.