During the period of slavery, African Americans experiences less than ideal conditions. This included their diets, living conditions and clothing that was made available to them among other hardships. The stories of Frederick Douglass, William Green and Fountain Hughes will help us to explore the housing conditions for slaves. We will learn from Douglass through the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass written by Douglass himself. We will learn from Green through the Narrative of Events in the Life of William Green (Formally a Slave), written by Green himself. We will learn from Hughes through and an interview conducted by Hermond Norwood in 1949 with Hughes as the subject.
Slave housing was referred to mainly as their “quarters.” Green describes his quarters as a “large low building, built in the open field, with a large chimney in the center, with no partition, without lath or plaster, and nothing but the naked beams and rafters, with a few loose boards laid down overhead, where you lay away any small articles for safe-keeping” (Green p.8). There was minimum furniture and fixings, and often slaves went without a bed. Hughes states, “Colored people didn’ have no beds when they was slaves. We always slep’ on the floor, pallet here, and a pallet there” (Norwood 1949 p.3). As Green spoke on what he remembered about the slave quarters, he recalled how they would the men would try to make bed by “get{ting] a box or bench” and use his “jacket for a pillow” (Green p.9). Unlike Green’s recollection, Douglass remembers only have one bed, the “common bed – the …show more content…
Finding out more about their daily lives would most likely include information on their sleeping arrangements. Next, I would begin to research housing documents and deeds during the time of slavery. Having a look at building plans and other documentation can lead to descriptions of what the slave quarters would have looked
Slave housing was referred to mainly as their “quarters.” Green describes his quarters as a “large low building, built in the open field, with a large chimney in the center, with no partition, without lath or plaster, and nothing but the naked beams and rafters, with a few loose boards laid down overhead, where you lay away any small articles for safe-keeping” (Green p.8). There was minimum furniture and fixings, and often slaves went without a bed. Hughes states, “Colored people didn’ have no beds when they was slaves. We always slep’ on the floor, pallet here, and a pallet there” (Norwood 1949 p.3). As Green spoke on what he remembered about the slave quarters, he recalled how they would the men would try to make bed by “get{ting] a box or bench” and use his “jacket for a pillow” (Green p.9). Unlike Green’s recollection, Douglass remembers only have one bed, the “common bed – the …show more content…
Finding out more about their daily lives would most likely include information on their sleeping arrangements. Next, I would begin to research housing documents and deeds during the time of slavery. Having a look at building plans and other documentation can lead to descriptions of what the slave quarters would have looked