Although the gap between black people and white people has gotten smaller, it still exists in the United States. Slavery and that time period was the initial cause for the divide, but equality has never truly been established. Many white people still think of themselves as superior, even if unconsciously. Americans, black and white, can never actually come together and move on from the past if the present is not fair either. For white people, it is hard to understand the struggle a black person goes through every day. Black people deal with racism, stereotypes, and the constant reminder of past enslavement based on their skin color. African American men, African American adolescents, and drug dealing are thought to go hand in hand in today’s
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If being forced to do manual labor and getting whipped everyday was not enough, slaves were just thought of as a white man’s possession; they were a “fundamental property right” (“We the Slaveowners” 6). Therefore, slave masters had control over what happened to the slaves, and they were even “compensated” when salves were executed (Adalberto and Baker). Many slave executions were public, and plantation owners would often make the others watch to prevent rebellion (Adalberto and Baker). The article, “Slave Executions in the United States: A Descriptive Analysis of Social and Historical Factors,” explains that white people in the crowd and orchestra of certain executions would even shoot the hanging, lifeless body. However, slave executions consisted of much more than just hangings; the other much more brutal and horrific methods may have included burning, pillory, castration, etc. (Adalberto and Baker). These methods of execution do not compare to the pain African Americans went through on a daily basis, but “slavery prevailed . . . because it was legally enforced (Stampp, 1956)” (Adalberto and Baker). Although certain laws were eventually passed against murdering slaves, a white man could use the excuse of the murder being an accident from giving the slave “moderate correction” (Adalberto and Baker). Slaves that just looked at a white woman were executed for rape, but no consequences came from actually raping an African American woman (Adalberto and Baker). African Americans, free or enslaved, never had a chance when put on trial, and they were more likely to get the death penalty (Adalberto and Baker). Basically, slaves were not considered human beings to white people, and no excuse can cover for the inequality African Americans were shown. The laws passed to help slaves were not enforced or followed; they were only passed, so white people could feel better
If being forced to do manual labor and getting whipped everyday was not enough, slaves were just thought of as a white man’s possession; they were a “fundamental property right” (“We the Slaveowners” 6). Therefore, slave masters had control over what happened to the slaves, and they were even “compensated” when salves were executed (Adalberto and Baker). Many slave executions were public, and plantation owners would often make the others watch to prevent rebellion (Adalberto and Baker). The article, “Slave Executions in the United States: A Descriptive Analysis of Social and Historical Factors,” explains that white people in the crowd and orchestra of certain executions would even shoot the hanging, lifeless body. However, slave executions consisted of much more than just hangings; the other much more brutal and horrific methods may have included burning, pillory, castration, etc. (Adalberto and Baker). These methods of execution do not compare to the pain African Americans went through on a daily basis, but “slavery prevailed . . . because it was legally enforced (Stampp, 1956)” (Adalberto and Baker). Although certain laws were eventually passed against murdering slaves, a white man could use the excuse of the murder being an accident from giving the slave “moderate correction” (Adalberto and Baker). Slaves that just looked at a white woman were executed for rape, but no consequences came from actually raping an African American woman (Adalberto and Baker). African Americans, free or enslaved, never had a chance when put on trial, and they were more likely to get the death penalty (Adalberto and Baker). Basically, slaves were not considered human beings to white people, and no excuse can cover for the inequality African Americans were shown. The laws passed to help slaves were not enforced or followed; they were only passed, so white people could feel better