Colonial African-American Life

Throughout the southern states of America, slaves were forced into unfair and inhumane living conditions. They were made to do hard labor in the fields or in the houses of their masters under the threat of abuse or even death. Nonetheless, slaves managed to create their own culture and lives under this oppressive lifestyle. Many bonded together to achieve some semblance of personal freedom even confined by the numerous restrictions of a prejudiced country. Although slaves were forced into a life they did not ask for they still managed to produce their own culture and make their lives better through religion, music, language, family relations, and even freedom movements.

Slavery in the United States was an atrocious and very inhumane way of treating African Americans. This atrocity started in 1619, springing forward an almost two and a half century long era of hate, persecution, and evil-doings to the Africans brought to the United States from Africa. However, in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln passed the Emancipation Proclamation that declared all slaves free. After this new found freedom, one would think that the African Americans’ problems were solved, but for many, one big problem still remained. This problem was that of finding their loved ones, and the possible solution to this problem was to post ads in the Southwestern Christian Advocate’s “Lost Friends” column.

The life of a slave in the Southern colonies was not a pleasant one. According to document 6: "[The slaves] plant peas, garden peas, transplant or prune trees, and plant cabbage... They ["Negroes"] are given as much land as they can handle. On it they plant for themselves corn, potatoes, tobacco, peanuts, water and sugar melons, pumpkins, bottle pumpkins... They plant for themselves also on Sundays. For if they do not work they make mischief and do damage...".

According to “11 Facts About Human Trafficking,” “between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States each year. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Human trafficking victims can easily be exposed to STD’s, HIV/AIDS, untreatable diseases and many more severe health problems. Just like Human Trafficking, those involved in slavery were also easily exposed to these kind of obstacles.

What Is Racism in 1885 America? Paragraph Structure- Literary Response The main idea sentence- In the opening lines of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

First of all, slaves used elements of medicine and magic from African cultures in their everyday lives by using them whenever they felt a fever coming on or the slaves would use it for protection. Many slaves used magic and medicine for prayer and their way of for healing; treat their illness from their body and soul. Medicine and magic were used when the slaves would get together and do spiritual rituals on their masters. They would also use it as healing power, most of them are leaves, roots and bark. When the slaves would use this remedy it would cause less physical and emotional stress.

Lexxie Williams HUM2020- Monday The Harlem Renaissance: Art, Music, Literature influence in the 20th Century The Harlem Renaissance was an influential and pivotal period in African American history in the 20th Century. The Harlem Renaissance opened the doors to new and greater opportunities for African Americans.

Black people have never been treated fairly by white people. Slavery was when they were at their worst. The punishments for doing something wrong or escaping were severe. You have your legs cut off, you could be burned, you could get hanged, and the list goes on. They were forced to do whatever job their master made them do.

Though the history of the South often catches the attention of conversation, it is not as likely for the poor folk of the South to be mentioned and thought about. Those who were considered to be the construction of the South are mostly the affluent, but it should not be forgotten that those who were poor had a story as well. There was a struggle they faced just as real as the great lives the rich held. Though the poor were overlooked most days, they truly helped build America to what it is today. Without them, America wouldn’t have the depth it has today.

Slave owners forbid African Americans from using their traditional ancestral instruments and music, and this produced the new African American style of music, gospel. Before gospel became the black mainstream music of the 20th century, black churches were the only safe place for African Americans to praise God as a congregation without the fear of white intrusion. Slaves shared stories of their horrible living conditions through gospel songs. They believed that by enduring the struggles of everyday life, they will be rewarded with life after death in heaven with God. Slavery’s deleterious effect on African Americans fueled the creation of gospel music, which became an effective and resourceful medium for slaves to spread God’s good news throughout