Introduction: Historically, female Black slaves endured the worse treatment, but have received the least amount of attention than their male counterparts in North American Slavery (Hine, 2007). There are longstanding myths that surround the experiences of female Black slaves, and struggles they face daily trying to survive. Deborah Gray White provides an intimate look into female slavery that until 1985 was long overdue. In her book she stated “Slave women were the only women in America who were sexually exploited with impunity, stripped and whipped with a lash, and worked like oxen” (White, 1999, p. 162). In the nineteenth century, there was much attention placed on women that their rightful place was in the home, where they can be protected. White showed that this protection was not afforded to female Black slaves, and they were neither protected by law nor by men; they were denied their womanhood. Their womanhood was only acknowledged as they bore children that benefitted their masters. So pregnant slaves had lighter workloads and better nutrition than the other female slaves. The nutrition was still substandard, which meant that both mother and child were in danger. As a form of resistance, some women refused to have children. So they either aborted their children or practiced some form of birth control (White, 1999). As male and female slaves were constantly separated, females formed strong bonds with each other, which White mentioned is still pervasive today in the Black community (White, 1999).
Why was the book chosen? This book, Ar’n’t I a Woman? By Deborah Gray White (1985) was chosen because it provided a deep analysis of the Black culture, which allowed the enrichment of the reader’s knowledge of the unwritten and unspoken history of Black American women during slavery. This book promotes what many would see as a pioneering approach to an in-depth look into an antebellum of the experience of female slaves (White, 1985). Prior to White writing this book in 1985, much of the available literature did not focus on women’s unique experience throughout slavery. Their experiences were seen in conjunction with male experiences, which then led to a universal understanding of the slavery experience. Since 1985, numerous authors joined the movement to bring voice, representation, and understanding to the female slave experience in a historical setting in the South. In 1999, White updated her book to add information on work she has completed during the 14 years since she initially wrote this book. This book is chosen because of its impact and importance to the work that historians produced in lieu of a reassembling of the lives of female slaves, which is so well-written that readers are allowed to go on a journey based on a descriptive reality that White offers as insight into the lives of slave women (White, 1999). Biographical Information: Ar’n’t I a Woman? was written by White while she pursued her doctoral studies at the University of Illinois in Chicago. The book was a product of her dissertation. She served on Rutgers University’s Board of Governors Professor of History; her specialization at the institution was African American and American Women’s History (White, 1999).
Thesis of the book: The thesis of the book is the dual burden of racism, and sexism. These were experiences that slaves during the 19th century had, which resulted in them being the most oppressed people in America at that time. These experiences were cleverly illustrated by White so that their experiences were not explored with the attitude of all women have the same experiences. White wrote in such a way that experiences of female slaves in the book varied in degree from female experiences in the 19th century, and not in kind (White, 2010). Thesis development: The book Ar’n’t I a Woman? is comprised of six chapters, with the first five chapters covering the various identities of female Black slaves, with the last chapter primarily focusing on the role of Black women after the abolition of slavery (White, 2010). Major topics include stereotypes of the “Mammy” and “Jezebel”, differences in female and male slaves, the lives of female slaves, relationship of female slaves with their families as well as with both White and Black men. The book is primarily based on the narratives of slaves, with specific quotes used to illustrate the authenticity of the book and to give the discussion a revisionist angle from which to discuss the dual-burden female Black slaves endured (White, 2010).Roles women assume or forced to assume were outlined, their hope, self-worth and power were also identified. White portrayed the lives of female slaves who lived under the most horrific conditions, but still had the strength to survive, cope, and resist oppression (White, 2010).
Recurring Theme: The major theme identified in this book is the life of Black women during and after slavery; women who were robbed of their femininity and had to prove their womanhood (“Ar’n’t I a Woman?: Book Review with Summary and Themes, 2010”). Women during the nineteenth century were seen as delicate flowers that need to be protected, except Black women. The exploration of female slaves provided an opportunity for the history of female slaves to be re-written in order for their true histories, feelings, identities and destinies to be revealed. In the end, this theme permeated throughout this book and focused on the lives of Black women in modern America. In White’s analysis, not much has changed for the plight of Black women from the nineteenth century until today, and for this reason Black women are still asking “Ar’n’t I a woman?'” (“Ar’n’t I a Woman?: Book Review with Summary and Themes, 2010”). Female slave reality: From this thesis White went on to expound on her thoughts and presumptions about the experiences of these female slaves in the antebellum South by analyzing the polarity of two ideologies offered to explain their plight; that of what is considered an ideal independent woman in the South (where she is physically strong) , and the dehumanization women faced as innate to a harsh reality that characterized their lives ( White, 1999). It is White society that presented two identities of the Black female slave, which caused them to be victimized doubly ( White, 1999). For example, 1. Sexism was one of the three constraints impacting the lives of female Black slaves. They became slaves because they were of the Black race, color more than sex was reason classism existed back then in antebellum American society, and 2. Slave women were identified by imagery whites forced upon them, and their realities were examined based on the lives they created for themselves; providing a more accurate depiction of antebellum slave Black women ( White, 1999). The images of Black women that prevailed at that time as promoted by White Americans was that of a female slave who was sexually insatiable, and a woman who was likened to Jezebel because she had a licentious appetite, which Southern White women did not have, making her not as pure and pious as Southern White women (Berry, 2007). On the other hand, the female Black slave was seen as a more kind-hearted, warm and matronly Mammy, who was passionate about raising and caring for the kids of her slave master, and being in charge of the household.
Dual Identities: Within this historical context outlined by White, the polarization of the Black female slave created undue burden in her lived experience as on one hand she is a “Jezebel”, and on another she is a “Mammy”. This polarization is paradoxical because Whites saw Black female slaves as very nurturing and maternal, safe enough to care for their children, as well as birth children to increase the slave population, which was important to Whites, but this “Mammy” image was not enough to prevent the dehumanization of female Black slaves (Berry, 2007). Instead they were victims of sexual abuse, and this caused them to be subjected to roles of sex slaves, illustrating and maintaining their “Jezebel” image. These dual identities, and prevailing images offered caused Black slave women to experience serious identity crises, which prevented them from assuming more humanized roles in their lives on the plantation (Berry, 2007). Survival: In spite of these types of constraints, White depicted their lives in ways that showed how they functioned on the planation and assumed different roles than those given to them. They had created deeper bonds with each other as women, within their family units, and overall engaged in more equitable relationships (White, 1999). Even though they were treated as property, and abused these women knew how to manipulate their situations in order to have more control of their environments. Some women faked illnesses so they did not have to engage in laborious and physically demanding work typically required of them. At the same time, the images of female Black slaves bonding together, projects a type of passivity that was innate to their experiences on the planation(White, 1999). Imageries impact Realities: White was successful in showing how imageries that are projected can impact reality. The Jezebel/ Mammy imageries presented a dichotomous life of female Black women that Whites created, who treated slave women in accordance to these imageries they created of them (“Ar’n’t I a Woman?: Book Review with Summary and Themes, 2010”). Even though White portrayed these women as being able to manipulate and have control over their environment, this same approach is seen as a drawback for these women as it keeps them tied to their culture; a culture that unintentionally keeps them oppressed(“Ar’n’t I a Woman?: Book Review with Summary and Themes, 2010”); questioning White’s ability to liberate these women from prevailing plantation imageries that encroach on their lives. This became apparent due to White’s over-reliance on the narratives taken from slaves. At the same time, using these narratives promoted the credibility of the themes in this book as planation life was not based on the author’s assumptions, but on the perspectives of the slaves themselves. This allowed the readers not to limit their understanding of female Black slave women’s experiences by the imageries, identities, and ideologies offered by Whites, but to go beyond these confines and focus on the authentic experiences these women have on the plantation (“Ar’n’t I a Woman?: Book Review with Summary and Themes, 2010”). Sapphire: White also introduces a persona called “Sapphire”, which she developed as a negative embodiment of qualities found in “Mammy” and “Jezebel”. The image of “Sapphire” has the emasculating and domineering traits as does “Jezebel”, but does not have the sexual nature of “Jezebel”, instead is more aggressive and usurps male roles. Unlike “Mammy”, “Sapphire” does not have any maternal instinct, and she is not compassionate. With the development of “Sapphire” White suggested that Black women at that time more than ever had to prove their worth and womanhood (White, 1999). Before White in 1985, black women were only understood in the context of Black men. This was due to the fact that literature on female slabs was non-existent, she said “Slave women were everywhere, yet nowhere” (White, 1999, p. 22). Even though White spoke about “Jezebel”, “Mammy” and “Sapphire”, she debunked myths about these personas in the lives of back women, stating that they have a distinct and unique place in Southern slavery society. From 1985 to 2000 and onward, scholars still found it difficult to penetrate the culture of secrecy of which Black women are a part (Berry, 2007).
Summary: White’s aim in the book was accomplished through the systematic development of her thesis, and inclusion of themes and imageries. She accomplished the goal of debunking myths about female slaves, and allowed readers to look beyond the imageries and not use them to define these women. There might be some biasness present, however, White overcame their influences by resorting to slaves’ narratives, and stories from the diaries of White Southerners. The cultural and experiential perspectives offered enriched the readers’ knowledge of life in North American slavery. She adequately supports her themes with facts and anecdotes that were personal, yet powerful for the historical context. The thesis was strong, and withstood flaws that are typically found in books written by a passionate author. White proved her case and it further ignited a fire in other authors to explore the life of female slaves outside imageries promoted by Whites, and outside of the lives of Black men.
Conclusion: This book should be read and examined by students of all disciplines. It is not only historical, but philosophical, anthropological, economic, social and psychological. It is a foundational book that incorporates phenomenology as the basic methodological approach to storytelling, with the readers walking away with a rich depiction of lived experiences of female slaves in the Plantation South.
Works Cited
Ar’n’t I a Woman?: Book Review with Summary and Themes. 2010. Web. 28 July 2016
Berry, Daina, R. Teaching Ar’n’t I a Woman? 2007. Journal of Women’s History, 19 (2), 139– 145. Web. 28 July 2016
Hine, Darlene, C. Ar'n't I a Woman?: Female Slaves in the Plantation South-Twenty Years After. 2007. The Journal of African American History, 92 (1). Web, 28 July 2016.
White, Deborah, G. Ar’n’t I a Woman? Female Slaves in the Plantation South. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 1985. Web. 28 July 2016.
White, Deborah Gray. Ar’n’t I a Woman?: Female Slaves in the Plantation South. New York: Norton, 1999. Web. 28 July 2016.
“White, Deborah”. Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences. 2010. Web. 28 July 2016
