Chapter 12: The Old South and Slavery

Chapter twelve was very interesting to read just untold truth about the slaves. It was surprising to read how the African Americans were the most dominate racial group in America at that time. It was not shocking to me how they rebelled; when they rebelled they outnumbered the whites. It was a little unpredictable to read how that other slaves would inform authority about the upcoming uprising, I would think they would stand together and fight instead of endanger each other lives more.

Despite the rebellions and the uprising, reading about the African-American culture was really fascinating. I was most interested into their music and dance. Their music has truly influenced the music of today by a rhythmic beat to dance too, or singing songs about our emotions. It was said “The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by tears”, (page 287). This concept of singing a song to relieve sorrow is used today mainly by teenagers. As watched in movies as a funny scene we see a teenage getting over a break up by singing out loud a sad song and sobbing to feel better. But my point is that the African-American culture has truly influenced our culture and society of today. I think even their worship of religion has impact Christianity today, such as them shouting “Amen” and singing chants, catches and hallelujah songs. Now and day Christians mostly worship through chants and songs, and yelling Amen. It just remarkable to read how the whites have degraded the African-Americans and did not want their culture intermixing with the whites but it is ironic how much of an influence the African-American culture did have on society and even adopting some of their ways.

The whites or southerners tried to make sure that that African-American knew they did not have the same equality as the whites. The whites were so obsessed with the African-Americans they did anything in their power to keep them from being free and easy to identify. I was reading in my sociology textbook how they made a one drop law were its states, even one drop of blood of African- American would be identified as “black” despite the color of your skin. This was happening still in the 1980 when we thought as a nation, we were over racial inequality. I guess as a nation we will never get over racial inequality and our past will always affect us in some way. I think having the one drop blood law was like a way to remind you that you are African-American and will never have the same equality as us whites despite your skin color, that’s how I perceived it while reading the text. The African-American culture is very smart and fascinating, they found a cure for stomach aches, and were very skilled in many areas. Unlike the men in the 1760’s who were not as productive and found more interest in dueling, eye gouging, and biting noses.