Legacy of Slavery: A Student's Understanding

by: Jason Luker

The program was like any other I have done over the course of my career. The Civil War was the topic and since we only had forty five minutes with the students, the program focused on slavery and how it was the center cause of the war. During the discussion, I tried to gauge the students understanding on slavery and see if they possibly understood the importance of this “peculiar institution” was to all of southern society. So I asked the student’s one simple question; what is a slave? Most of the answers were expected, but what was left out was surprising.

The students quickly identified that enslavement meant forced labor. Some students understood that slaves were owned by another, had to work without any compensation, and were not allowed any freedom. Brutality was mentioned at times, but mostly the students made enslavement sound like a rather crummy job.  I pressed the issue a bit further with the class, trying to get them to see that the slaves’ value and worth went beyond free labor, and then it dawned on me. No one had said anything about race or color. So, I asked what the big difference was between a slave and a slave owner. They replied that the slave owner was “white” and the slave was “African American.” I asked what they meant by “African American” and my question was met with silence. It took time, but finally someone confessed that the slaves were black.

I think the main reason the students would not use the word “black” was they were afraid to do so. Fear motivated them to come up with any way possible to describe slavery without using race. Apparently the students equated identifying slaves as “black” with being racist. The word stuck in their throat like glue. This program was a chance for the class to speak openly about a historical moment in history and try to better understand how slavery was such a central part of the Civil War. Because they were so worried about being associated with racism, it stopped them from actually examining the origins of slavery and its importance in American history.

I believe this is just one of many examples on how the history of slavery and its’ legacy has shaped the modern discussion on race.  To better recognize how race is understood and debated in the United States, people need to look at the struggle over slavery. This is impossible if we are unwilling to examine slavery completely and honestly.  This is especially true for historical organizations and museums. If we are not brave in our interpretation and eager to examine all facets of difficult topics such as racism and slavery, we are not fulfilling our obligation to the public. That does not mean we should be reckless and insensitive. Rather we should be bold in our work while providing assurance to others as they work through their fears and reservations.

If you are interested in learning more about the legacy of slavery and how this legacy has changed over the course of American history, please join us for the program Legacy of Slavery on Saturday, February 8^th at 1:00pm at the Gaston County Museum. For more information or to make a reservation, please call Jason Luker at 704-922-7681 ext. 105 or by email at Jason.luker@gastongov.com.