The Struggle for Control, Soul by Soul
Throughout the course of American history seldom has there been a more wretched event that has had a lasting impact than that of the American slave trade, which led up to and occurred during the 1800s. Particularly keying in on the southern antebellum slave trade predominantly based out of New Orleans, Louisiana. Perhaps one of the best depictions of this time period is that of Walter Johnson’s Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market, which approaches the events that transpired in a rather refreshing technique as opposed to other authors. Specifically, during his analysis Johnson dissects a plethora of contrarian perspectives within and surrounding the antebellum slave trade time period to …show more content…
Along with this, commodification also offered up an easy avenue for slavers to not only justify their actions, but also to continue their slave trading operations. By constantly and ruthlessly submitting slaves to a valuation process based on appraising prices solely off of their physical attributes and in some cases combining that with their respective history, slave traders and owners were able to almost completely separate the humanity from the slave themselves. This type of callous commodification effectively allowed slave holders to convert that seemingly human person into that of a sheer property figure. In addition, during this conversion process slavers frequently attached monetary valuation to the slaves, which only further solidified the overall progression of viewing a human being as physical property. To further employ their system of dehumanization, slave traders and owners would habitually subject slaves to more inhumane and brutal criterion, which effectively allowed for the beginnings of a vicious and forceful power dynamic between slave holders and their …show more content…
It is commendable that Johnson utilized such a wide array of sources to paint a clear and perhaps balanced picture of what can be seen when one takes in nearly every essential actor’s perspective. I assert however, that although Johnson frequently references fascinating recounts of the time period, it is relatively difficult to keep track of his thought process and other underlying intentions. While I would characterize Johnson’s critique of antebellum slave trade balanced, it felt at times too centrist in the respect that he didn’t want to take a strong stance fully on either side. The exception were some instances that were blatantly immoral, where Johnson dismantled the prevailing ideology of the time. I am of the opinion that perhaps he viewed these men as men of their time. Not to say they were inherently perfect figures or complete monsters, just men that were a product of their time, situation, and perspective within that of the southern antebellum slave market. All in all the control of the slave market was depicted through a diverse range of actors that were constantly struggling for control in perhaps the darkest racial period of American
Throughout the course of American history seldom has there been a more wretched event that has had a lasting impact than that of the American slave trade, which led up to and occurred during the 1800s. Particularly keying in on the southern antebellum slave trade predominantly based out of New Orleans, Louisiana. Perhaps one of the best depictions of this time period is that of Walter Johnson’s Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market, which approaches the events that transpired in a rather refreshing technique as opposed to other authors. Specifically, during his analysis Johnson dissects a plethora of contrarian perspectives within and surrounding the antebellum slave trade time period to …show more content…
Along with this, commodification also offered up an easy avenue for slavers to not only justify their actions, but also to continue their slave trading operations. By constantly and ruthlessly submitting slaves to a valuation process based on appraising prices solely off of their physical attributes and in some cases combining that with their respective history, slave traders and owners were able to almost completely separate the humanity from the slave themselves. This type of callous commodification effectively allowed slave holders to convert that seemingly human person into that of a sheer property figure. In addition, during this conversion process slavers frequently attached monetary valuation to the slaves, which only further solidified the overall progression of viewing a human being as physical property. To further employ their system of dehumanization, slave traders and owners would habitually subject slaves to more inhumane and brutal criterion, which effectively allowed for the beginnings of a vicious and forceful power dynamic between slave holders and their …show more content…
It is commendable that Johnson utilized such a wide array of sources to paint a clear and perhaps balanced picture of what can be seen when one takes in nearly every essential actor’s perspective. I assert however, that although Johnson frequently references fascinating recounts of the time period, it is relatively difficult to keep track of his thought process and other underlying intentions. While I would characterize Johnson’s critique of antebellum slave trade balanced, it felt at times too centrist in the respect that he didn’t want to take a strong stance fully on either side. The exception were some instances that were blatantly immoral, where Johnson dismantled the prevailing ideology of the time. I am of the opinion that perhaps he viewed these men as men of their time. Not to say they were inherently perfect figures or complete monsters, just men that were a product of their time, situation, and perspective within that of the southern antebellum slave market. All in all the control of the slave market was depicted through a diverse range of actors that were constantly struggling for control in perhaps the darkest racial period of American