Rape and American Slavery: Part 1

The treatment of slaves was a horrible experience in black history, and is currently receiving less attention in the lives of African-Americans in every generation. Often times we get the words of “oh that was then and this is now” or “we were not there during that time, so how does it affect us today?” My question to you is why do you think they hide images and stories of black slavery from education? Would you assume that the issues we face today in the black community such as racism and prejudice in regards to police brutality and negative media depictions, are not related to the enslavement of our people? Unfortunately, I have to disagree, acknowledging that the connection does exist. Throughout the period of slavery in America, white society believed that black women were to be innately lustful beings. Due to the ideal of white woman being pure and modest to the degree of prudishness, the perception of the black women was hyper-sexual, making her the object of a white man’s abhorrence and sexual fantasy. Therefore slave women were often raped by their masters and there was no degree of punishment for her rapist. The rape law stated “no white can ever rape a slave women.” “The regulations of the law, as the white race, on the subject of sexual intercourse did not and cannot, for obvious reasons, apply to slaves, for their intercourse is promiscuous.” This occurred so often that this law was made so the acts committed made the slave master feel guiltless and justifying the raping of black women because they can’t be rape, due to them being of a promiscuous nature.
The act of rape was not for economic profit, but used as a weapon of terror that reinforced white dominance over their human property. Because marriage amongst slaves was not recognized, married female slaves were raped as well. This was used as a tactic to take away the black males potential dominance over his wife, leaving him with the reality that he could not protect her. This is one of the curses spoken of in Deuteronomy 28 verse 30 “Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her.” The cruelty of this nation towards our people can’t be erased. Let us consider the fact that the rape of black women going on for hundreds of years was justified under a law that gave white people a rape pass. Why has this topic been refrained from discussion in American history classes? If they can repeatedly remind our children about the holocaust and the violent acts committed towards them clearly they hold their history of some importance. But to ignore the cruel acts of white folks towards blacks means they hold our history to the level of non-existence and want our youth to have no remembrance of it. This is one of many curses concerning our people in Deuteronomy 28, who will care to dig us out and help put the puzzle together?