American Slave Communities

Paper Summary:

Discussion of stable slave communities established and maintained by American slaves even under the oppressive system they were forced to live in. Psychological, social, familial, religious and cultural importance of these communities in allowing slaves to cope with the terrible conditions of their lives. Impact of master culture & Christianity. Role of story-telling and music in creating the community.

From the Paper:

"Despite the terrible conditions under which American slaves were forced to live, they were in many ways successful in establishing stable slave communities and in maintaining their sense of wholeness both as individuals and as members of their original cultures by depending on what culture they could transport with themselves mostly in the form of stories, songs, music and dance an in relying on a sense of family (often based not on consanguineal or not only on consanguineal bonds but also affinal ones) as well as religion, often the adopted Christianity of blacks in the New World.


Most Americans of African descent originally were brought to the continent involuntarily as slaves, although of course others have immigrated to the United States since the end of the slave trade. The legacy of the transatlantic slave trade can still be seen..."

More papers on American Slave Communities:

• Book Review # 125909 : "The Slave Community"
• Essay # 2361 : "Slave Community Life"
• Essay # 58116 : "The Slave Community"

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