Interracial Sex & Violence in the Antebellum South

Interracial relationships. African-American male and white female.

This article presents author Diane Miller Sommerville’s viewpoints on the way African-American males were convicted of rape.  It’s thought to be that the African-American males who “raped” their white female lovers were sentenced to death.  However, Sommerville argues against that.  She proves that in antebellum Virginia, these suspects were rather given lighter punishments such as being transported out of state or even to a penitentiary.  However, she points out that this occurs when the white female accuser is of a lower social status.  Sommerville even suggests that the lawmakers were somewhat sympathetic to the accused being that their white lovers cried rape after becoming pregnant by their colored lover.  The courts would not always grant the pregnant white female’s family wishes and although marriage was not possible, she would still be required to carry out the pregnancy.  Sommerville suggests that white males turned to lynching because the justice system was inoperative.

Although this article is relatively short, I chose it because it’s not something we are used to hearing about.  In the recent weeks, we’ve learned that there have been many occurrences of interracial rapes between slaveowners and their female African-American slaves.  However, this article gives us some insight on the flip side of that note, the rape between an African-American man and a white female.

Interracial relationships

Citation:  Rape & Race in the Nineteenth-Century South by Diane Miller Sommerville, Review by: Edward E. Baptist, The Journal of American History , Vol. 92, No. 3 (Dec., 2005), p. 974

Url: http://www.jstor.org.ruby2.uhv.edu/stable/pdfplus/3660014.pdf?acceptTC=true

 

 

The Revolt of Robert Berkeley’s Slaves

Confrontation between a slave and his owner.

After last week’s discussion board topic about the novel “Celia, A Slave”, I became more interested in the violent acts that slaves committed.  It’s not too often that you read about a slave revolting against their slaveowner.  However, we are far too familiar with the brutal treatments slaves received by their owners.  In the 19th century, slavery was very popular in the South.  Slaves were forced to be separated from their families and work long, strenuous hours without receiving any pay or respect in return.  I couldn’t even begin to imagine living in this time.  Although only a few slaves tried to escape or revolt, this article presents a story where all the slaves of one owner revolted against him.

The life of a slave is often viewed as being a prisoner.

Robert Berkeley was known for doing whatever it takes to get whatever he wants; he was a very manipulative man.  Before marrying, Berkeley did not own land nor slaves.  It was not until he married that he acquired the land and slaves that he longed for.  

His murder was devised by the slaves he and his wife owned.  On a summer night in May of 1818, Berkeley’s life would come to an end.  Randolph, one of Berkeley’s escaped slaves, has been captured and returned to Berkeley’s land.  When Berkeley was informed of his return by another slave, he went to see this for himself.  Unfortunately, his slaves had something else in mind for him.  Upon Berkeley’s arrival, he found Randolph standing with the company of only a club in his hand.  According to the author, all of Berkeley’s slaves were involved in the plot to kill their hateful owner.  Randolph beat his slaveowner to death for what is known to be revenge.  However, brutally beating their owner to death was not enough for his slaves.  Randolph, and with the help of his fellow slaves, burned Berkeley’s body until there was nothing but a pile of his ashes remaining.  Although Berkeley’s slaves were able to receive justice for all the torture he caused them, the involved were convicted of murder.  A total of five of Berkeley’s slaves were found guilty of murder and their punishment was justice to Berkeley; they were sentenced to be hung.

In my eyes, this violent crime committed by not only one, but numerous slaves, was a revolt. Can you imagine the life of a slave?  Not only that, but under the ownership of such a brutal and hateful man?  This story, along with other slaves perpetrating violence against their owners, does not come to much of a surprise to me.  Today we are so familiar with people sticking up for themselves.  Although my opinion is simply an opinion, I feel justice was served for Berkeley’s slaves.

 

Race, Memory, and the Death of Robert Berkeley: “A Murder… of…Horible and Savage Barbarity”

 

Deborah A. Lee and Warren R. Hofstra

The Journal of Southern History , Vol. 65, No. 1 (Feb., 1999), pp. 41-76

Published by: Southern Historical Association

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2587731

DUELING IN THE SOUTH

Dueling in the 19th Century

Southerners have long been known for their honorable personalities.  The article The Nose, the Lie, and the Duel in the Antebellum South, states that white men of the South would “pull or tweak” each others noses, which is a sign to the “language of honor”.  In the 19^th century, dueling between Southern white men to prove their honor and dignity was highly common.  However, dueling never occurred between slaves nor white women.  The author uses the story of“Connecticut Yankee” P.T. Barnum’s experience in the South in order to demonstrate the “language of honor” to his readers.

According to the article, Barnum arranged the exhibition of a mermaid, which he knew was a fake all along.  The mermaid quickly became the object of controversy in Charleston’s newspapers.  Journalists were bashing Barnum and calling him a liar and accusing him for not caring that the “mermaid” was in fact a phony.  Being that Barnum was a Northerner, the name-calling and accusations did not faze him for even a minute.

The phony “mermaid” which was exhibited by P.T. Barnum in the South.

     This incident exemplifies the difference between a Southerner and Northerner’s “language of honor”.  White Southern men view this as public humiliation, which is not tolerated.  If a Southerner is accused of a crime, called or liar or simply humiliated in any kind of way in the public eye, a duel is sure to happen at that very moment.

In basically every old Southern or “Western” movie, dueling is portrayed.  From our early ages we are very aware of this act, which is displayed to prove one’s honor and courage.  Although today you do not see a 19^th century version of dueling, people, men in particular, still get heated the very moment one is accused of a crime or of lying.  Maybe it’s a Southerner thing still!  😉

 

The Nose, the Lie, and the Duel in the Antebellum South

Kenneth S. Greenberg

The American Historical Review , Vol. 95, No. 1 (Feb., 1990), pp. 57-74

Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Historical Association

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2162954

 

Domestic Violence in the Antebellum South

Domestic violence has existed for centuries.

Domestic violence is a hot topic today, in the 20th century.  However, it is by no means a new topic.  Domestic violence has been around for centuries.  The article I read provides a story from the 19th century that exemplifies domestic violence particularly in the Antebellum South.  In 1846, North Carolina James Meadows, a white man, was brutally murdered.  The article describes that according to Mr. Meadow’s son’s testimony, three men drug Meadow’s out of his home in the middle of the night.  However, the only two arrests made were to a slave, George, and the victim’s wife, Mary Meadows.  The author explains that Mr. Meadows was abusive to his wife and that she, including slaves and other people, wanted Mr. Meadows beaten or even dead.  There was active domestic violence prior to the actual murder.Mr. Meadow’s Achilles tendon was cut and he was beaten to death.  Also, his penis and testicles were found to be squeezed and pressed after his murder.

As you could imagine, people at this time did not think that a white woman had the capabilities of committing such a gruesome, cold murder at this time.  Mrs. Meadows was found not guilty of the brutal murder of her husband and was released.  In the mean time,  a slave was not granted legal support.  Therefore, George was found guilty despite the fact that there was little to no evidence of his involvement, and was sentenced to be hung.

The author of this article uses this story to exemplify both gender and racial inequalities in the southern judicial system during the 19th century.  She describes that most of the violent incidents were two parties: white women and slaves.  Although this was very common in the Antebellum South, it left very little impact on what history would later display.

Law, Domestic Violence, and the Limits of Patriarchal Authority in the Antebellum South

Laura F. Edwards

The Journal of Southern History , Vol. 65, No. 4 (Nov., 1999), pp. 733-770

Published by: Southern Historical Association

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2587586