Interpret the Evidence
What does William Wells Brown reveal about the working lives of slaves (Document 10.12)? What was the division of labor among slaves? What happened to slaves who did not obey the overseer’s rules?
According to Solomon Northup, how were slaves treated when put on sale (Document 10.13)? How did potential buyers analyze the slaves? How did the seller and buyer react to the possibility of separating a slave family?
What does Harriet Jacobs’s story reveal about sexual exploitation and slavery (Document 10.14)? Why didn’t Jacobs report her master to his wife?
According to Laura Smalley, how did the runaway slave on her mother’s plantation get food (Document 10.15)? What does her story reveal about a support system among the slaves? How did her mother’s master attempt to lure a runaway slave back to the plantation? What does it suggest about slaves’ leverage on some plantations?
What subjects did Irene Williams sing about (Document 10.16)? How do these particular songs reflect the lives of the slaves? How do you think the slaves imparted particular meaning to these songs?
Put It in Context
Four of these documents either were written by runaways or discuss the story of a runaway, yet only a small percentage of slaves ran away or participated in open rebellions. Why do you think most slaves failed to run away or rebel, particularly in areas where slaves outnumbered the white population?
Why is it important to study both the published slave narratives of the nineteenth century and the oral histories of the twentieth century? What can we gain by looking at both types of sources?