I learned many things about the history of African American slavery as I did research for my middle grade novel about the Underground Railroad, Dark Enough to “See the Stars. When I started studying the institution of American slavery I didn’t understand the differences between house slaves and field slaves. Let me share some of what I learned.
House slaves served the plantation family. Among some of their duties, women cooked, cleaned, and sewed. Men worked as stable hands, footmen, and butlers. Their tasks seemed less physically demanding than those of field slaves who labored to plow, plant, and harvest the plantation crops. House slaves often lived in a room at the big house. This meant they had more privacy, more space, more heat, and better protection from the elements. They had opportunity to sneak rations from the larder and therefore ate a more nutritious diet. House slaves wore uniforms appropriate for their higher station and visibility to guests. One could say that in a caste system of slavery, house slaves were recognized by owners and slaves alike as better off.
On the other hand, field slaves lived in shacks usually referred to as the quarters. These simple wood huts had no insulation from heat or cold. Meager portions of corn meal and fatback were doled out monthly. Ten people might be crowded in one small shack. Bedding was scarce, and clothing rationed once a year. An overseer roused the slaves before dawn to work the fields. They didn’t return to their quarters until well after dark. Slaves who didn’t work hard enough were whipped. Compared to house slaves, field slave worked harder and received less. Many, but not all, aspired to raise their standard of living by becoming a house slave.
What were some drawbacks of being a house slave? They had more prestige and easier living conditions but had fewer days off. Plantation owners gave field slaves a full week off at Christmas, often referred to as Big Times. They were allowed to rest on Sunday.Often pray meetings or parties took place on Saturday night. However, house slaves had to be available to the family day and night. The plantation owners entertained guests during Christmas. This meant more cooking and cleaning on holidays. Sundays required preparing a large afternoon meal. Proximity to the family could also be a drawback. Slaves often developed bonds with the owners and knew the family tensions. Also, they were encouraged to report on field slaves who stole and otherwise disobeyed. This gave house slaves the reputation of being snitches, and many of them were. Owners rewarded informants with special gifts.
So working as a house slave wasn’t easy living. Whether you were a field slave or a house slave, you still lived in bondage.
17 replies to "How House Slaves and Field Slaves Differed"
Very interesting. I always wondered if house slaves had it better. I would think they were more easily taken advantage of sexually.. reason why there were/are so many mixed blacks and blacks passing for white.
Yes, unfortunate, but true.
That’s because they raped our woman and we had their babies that was their children in the house ‼️‼️ They just looked like us because they were produced from rape that’s why they think the house negros were all light skinned they were massas children…
Yes, this is a sad part of our history. Certainly light-skinned slaves were the product of the worst feature of slavery. I learned a lot when I researched my novel for kids about the Underground Railroad. I’m glad I can help the next generation understand the horrors of slavery.
The average black descendant of slavery is between 1/4 and 1/3 white. This is where they got their admixture.
Yes.Thank you for clarifying that.
Neither had it better. I believe most house slaves had their role due to the massas sexual attraction to certain women. Also the house slaves children were also offsprings of the slave owners.
Yes, I agree. But I also believe field slaves were not immune from sexual abuse. House slaves and field slaves alike were victims of this terrible crime.
Yes, most of them received some form of abuse, whether the master or the overseer. If the master had to many children and looked like him, they were often sold or traded away to keep speculation at bay. It was known that it was happening but wasn’t allowed to be spoken of. The practice of slavery is evil and, thus, brought out the evils of man. I couldn’t imagine having a child taken away but then again, I couldn’t imagine having my rapist’s baby either.
This is very true. The same happened with the Roma (“Gypsy”) slaves in Europe, where the house slaves were forbidden to use, and eventually lost, our language and the girls were offered to visitors. I wrote about it in my book The Pariah Syndrome. I am now working on the inherited “slave mentality” that makes us even today, more resentful than cooperative with each other, house vs. field. More crumbs.
xulaj@gmx.com
You seem skeptical. Or does only African slavery merit compassion?
From the account of a French journalist visiting the estate of a wealthy Romanian in the 1830s.
In the evening, the master makes his choice among the beautiful girls – maybe he will offer some of them to the guest – whence these light-skinned, blonde-haired Gypsies. (Roleine, 1979: 111). The offspring from these unwelcome sexual unions automatically became slaves. The visitor, Felix Colson, noted that it was this rape of the female house slaves that was largely responsible for the fact that many Gypsies are now fair-skinned; Cohn (1973:63) estimates the mean percentage of white genetic mixture as sixty percent.
Thank you for your thoughts. Yes, slavery and sexual exploitation has not been exclusively African-American, but maybe more documented, and perhaps more widespread. As a side note: modern day sex trafficking shows us that slavery continues to rear its ugly head.
Your library might have a copy of my book We Are the Romani People. A good introductory chapter in there about the slavery, and also about the genocide.
Thanks for being a champion of this much neglected people.Keep up the good work.
This is interesting. I’m learning my ancestors were stolen from Ghana and my great great great grandfather was a slave in Mississippi and freed only by serving in the civil war. I’ve noticed that names George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, ete Polk, are now last names we see usually in our community. Wondering how many houses slaves were raped by the “masters” and their offspring were given the names of the masters. When I get to where they are, I want to hug them all so tight and thank them for all they did to pave the way for our freedom today. Things still aren’t equal but it is better.
Thanks Jera! I love your take on this -thanking the ones who paved the way for freedom and giving them a big hug! I think they will love that!
It makes me cry. How can’t they call themselves Christian?