The harsh verbal abuse, physical pain, and unfair treatment of slaves is already a commonly talked about topic in history classes around the country. The after effects of slavery, however, is a less familiar subject matter. Education is an obvious necessity in building a career and life for oneself. Slaves were deprived of this opportunity and after emancipation continued to face hardships while building schools and finding educators. Aside from the undeniable physical pain slaves had to suffer through, mental and psychological pain also stuck with many, years after freedom. Despite all of this, many African Americans were able to fend for themselves after freedom, some even writing autobiographies. Solomon Northup is an example of one of
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Many slaves suffered from emotional issues after emancipation, even though the physical harm was over. Tempie Cummins, a man who doesn’t know his own age, is an example of this. When his mother found out that they were legally freed, they both ran off of the property as their master shot at them. Luckily, they were able to escape, and Cummins eventually married and built a life for himself. He still, however, has nightmares and “sees ghosties.” In an interview, Tempie describes a time when he sees an ox walking towards him, and suddenly the ox turns into a man. He still sees that “same spirit now”. (WPA Slave Narrative Project, Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1). The physical challenges of slavery disappear after emancipation, but the mental struggles linger long after, sometimes throughout an entire life. As Tempie Cummins seems to have described, a type of PTSD is a common physiological effect of slavery. Although there aren’t many psychologists who have diagnosed ex-slaves, it is almost impossible to ignore the amount of evidence to suggest PTSD in these African American people. The thought that many slaves suffered from C-PTSD, a form of PTSD in which the initial trauma is prolonged over months or even years, is a supported theory suggested by Rebecca Elizabeth Caspar-Johnson. The lasting effects of sexual assault, specifically, was often something ex-slaves had to deal with. The psychological effects of rape took a toll on many African women, and even men. Flashbacks are a common symptom of post-rape traumatization, along with sleep disorders, feelings of guilt, and anger. (Gluck, “Effects of Rape”) Although there isn’t much information on the mental health of slaves after rape, there is concrete evidence that rape did occur. Today, there are heaps of research done on the psychological effects of rape, and one could suggest that the impact is
Many slaves suffered from emotional issues after emancipation, even though the physical harm was over. Tempie Cummins, a man who doesn’t know his own age, is an example of this. When his mother found out that they were legally freed, they both ran off of the property as their master shot at them. Luckily, they were able to escape, and Cummins eventually married and built a life for himself. He still, however, has nightmares and “sees ghosties.” In an interview, Tempie describes a time when he sees an ox walking towards him, and suddenly the ox turns into a man. He still sees that “same spirit now”. (WPA Slave Narrative Project, Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1). The physical challenges of slavery disappear after emancipation, but the mental struggles linger long after, sometimes throughout an entire life. As Tempie Cummins seems to have described, a type of PTSD is a common physiological effect of slavery. Although there aren’t many psychologists who have diagnosed ex-slaves, it is almost impossible to ignore the amount of evidence to suggest PTSD in these African American people. The thought that many slaves suffered from C-PTSD, a form of PTSD in which the initial trauma is prolonged over months or even years, is a supported theory suggested by Rebecca Elizabeth Caspar-Johnson. The lasting effects of sexual assault, specifically, was often something ex-slaves had to deal with. The psychological effects of rape took a toll on many African women, and even men. Flashbacks are a common symptom of post-rape traumatization, along with sleep disorders, feelings of guilt, and anger. (Gluck, “Effects of Rape”) Although there isn’t much information on the mental health of slaves after rape, there is concrete evidence that rape did occur. Today, there are heaps of research done on the psychological effects of rape, and one could suggest that the impact is