The Impact of Slavery in America

The Continuous Enslavement of Blacks in America

The forum discusses the re-enslavement of blacks as documented in the film, Slavery by Another Name. The contributors give their presentation on how thousands of blacks continued to work in forced labor even after slavery ended in the South (Blackmon). Although slavery was abolished in 1865, the blacks were subjected to industrial servitude, poor integration in the society, imprisonment and deaths, and deprivation of rights through other forms of slavery, including convict leasing, debt servitude, and sharecropping.

The Impact of Slavery on American Society

Slavery had multiple impacts on American society. It subjected blacks to forced industrial servitude. Black men were forced to work in inhumane conditions without pay (Blackmon). They had to put up with abuses, flogging, lynching, and all manner of mistreatment. As a result, many of them died. Slavery led to the deprivation of the rights of the blacks. They could not participate in the political system as they were not considered equal citizens (Blackmon). Many of them were imprisoned for petty crimes, such as vagrancy. As a result, it interfered with reintegration into society. However, slavery accelerated economic growth. Corporations exploited over 4 million blacks to provide cheap labor.

Continuation of Slavery through Other Forms

After the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery continued through other forms, including convict leasing, debt servitude, and sharecropping. In convict leasing, white masters systematically convicted black Americans for minor crimes such as vagrancy and subjected them to hard labor or forced them to pay hefty fines (Blackmon). They coerced the blacks or the convicts to work for corporations or on plantations while chained together. In debt servitude or peonage, blacks were compelled to pay their debts. In sharecropping, sharecroppers could not sell their farm produce to other individuals or entities. Similarly, they could not move if they owed the landlord. Thus, slavery remained intact but through these names or forms.

The Continuation of Slavery in America

In summary, although slavery was abolished in 1865, the blacks were subjected to industrial servitude, poor integration in society, imprisonment and deaths, and deprivation of rights through other forms of slavery, including convict leasing, debt servitude, and sharecropping. Thus, slavery thrived in America long after its abolition. The blacks did not gain their freedom as they were subjected to forced labor and cruel treatment.

Works Cited

Blackmon, Douglas. “Slavery by Another Name. The Enslavement of Black Americans from the

Civil War to World War II.” You Tube, 14 March 2011, youtube.com/watch?v=KPlk41mNDuM.