A People’s Readalong: Drawing the Color Line
by Jenners • 01/23/2012 • A People's Readalong, History, Miscellaneous, P Titles, Z Authors • 22 Comments
Fizzy Jill and I (and a bunch of others) are reading a chapter a week of Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. Each Monday, we’ll be posting our thoughts on that week’s chapter. Feel free to join us in whatever way you prefer—by reading along, commenting, or writing your own posts. To keep things organized, link up posts over at Jill’s blog as she is the quasi-official host who designed the button and reading schedule. This week, we read Chapter 2: Drawing The Color Line
What This Chapter Is About
This chapter examines the reasons why slavery arose in America and asks whether racism is something “natural” or a result of historical conditions. Zinn’s conclusion is that the “web of historical threads to ensnare blacks for slavery in America” are historical, which means that “there is a possibility for something else, under historical conditions not yet realized.”
In tracing the rise of slavery in America, Zinn looks at the desperate state of the early settlers and their need for cheap labor, the “special helplessness” of Africans who were torn from their families and culture, the amount of money that could be made as a result of slave labor and slave trade, the difference in how white servants and black slaves were treated, the system of controls used to prevent escape and rebellion, and the steep penalties for black and white collaboration. All of these factors combined to create a nation in which slavery thrived and became critical to its success.
My Thoughts
The descriptions of the treatments of slaves (in particular how they were transported across the ocean) were horrific and stomach-turning:
Then they were packed aboard the slave ships, in spaces not much bigger than coffins, chained together in the dark, wet slime of the ship’s bottom, choking in the stench of their own excrement.
Slaves often suffocated during the journey. Some, in desperation, chose to “jump overboard and drown rather than continue their suffering.” The statistics are heart-stopping. Here are a few of the numbers that Zinn shares in the chapter:
- one of every three blacks transported overseas died
- 10 to 15 million blacks had been transported as slaves to America by 1800
- almost 50 million Africans were killed or enslaved.
Once again, as we saw in the last chapter, the African civilization (which was, in places, more advanced than the European nations at the time) was systematically overrun and destroyed. Some Europeans used the existence of slavery in Africa to justify the slave trade, but, in actuality, these African slaves were more like the serfs of Europe—living a difficult life but one that still granted them certain rights and recognition as human beings. Once again, I was struck how the supposedly more advanced culture ends up being more vicious and cruel than the “backwards” culture.
The bulk of the chapter describes how slavery was established in the United States and the safeguards that were put in place to keep the slaves from rebelling or running away. One of the most insidious things that kept blacks and whites from joining forces to stop the enslavement of blacks was to elevate white servants and provide them with just enough rights and incentives to keep them satisfied and feeling superior to the blacks. This development of “class consciousness” was one of the most effective tools devised for keeping slavery in place.
As I read this chapter, I felt a deep sense of shame for the way the United States was founded and established. In just two chapters, we’ve already seen the founders of the country systematically wiping out the people who were already living on the land and then removing other people from their homes to become slaves in one of the most vicious and cruel systems of slavery ever seen. To think that this was the “price” to be paid for the formation of the United States makes you think long and hard. Certainly, this isn’t the story that schoolchildren are usually taught in history classes. I shudder to think what the next chapter shall bring.
Shame. That’s what I feel. And, I agree with Alyce that our own atrocities are sometimes harder to bear…I think what absolutely scares the shit out of me is that over time, again and again and again, human beings (usually the ruling class) are willing to stoop to horrific atrocities against other human beings in order to keep their titles, land, resources, money, etc. And, most frightening, like Audrey commented above, ethnic cleansing still goes on today. Hello. Is anybody learning anything, anywhere, anymore. Maybe we ought to start telling the truth in history class…maybe then some of the crap that happens in our world would finally come to an end. Maybe. Can you tell I’m ready to read something fluffy?? A tough chapter for me indeed.
Jenners, it is horrific to think of the inhumane treatment and disregard for human dignity during the slave trade. Even though it is uncomfortable, I think it is necessary for all of us to read those shocking accounts of that shameful part of American history. Great synopsis and review Jenners.
I have read accounts of the conditions on the slave ships that have made me want to skip reading about it again. It’s just absolutely horrific and disgusting to read about. And since it’s so unpleasant I think our instinct is to shy away from it.
Yet, there seems to be, especially among readers, such a fascination with other atrocities like the Holocaust. I know that I went through about a ten year phase of reading all of the Holocaust literature & memoirs I could get my hands on. And yet reading stories about slavery and the oppression of Africans in America – with situations equally horrific – makes me feel too traumatized to read on. I was shocked when I realized this hypocrisy in myself. I think there must be something about having to face your own country’s sins that is much more uncomfortable. That’s my theory anyway.
Should I be reading this and listening to the State of the Union at the same time?
This sounds like a very difficult chapter – stomach-turning. What you’ve summarized makes me feel ashamed for what this country did, how people behaved. It shocks me how inhumane people can be towards each other.
I read a book similar to this one when I was applying to law schools and didn’t focus on it as much as I wanted to. Thank you for your wonderful posts. Since I couldn’t fit reading this book into my schedule, I really appreciate reading your summaries of the chapters!
This chapter was difficult for me to read too. The conditions of transport were horrific. I had to put the book down. Overall, I found it fascinating, albeit highly disturbing. I’m curious to see where chapter 3 takes us!
The sad truth is that ethnic cleansing as many call it is still happening in other countries. Hard to call this behavior history when it’s still happening today
Wow, I think I knew all of that – but yes, just thinking of it all together definitely makes you think.
This chapter was truly disturbing and turned my stomach so much. The reality Zinn brings to topic of the slave development in the US is one that too often is swept under the rug. I think Heather brought up the laziness of the settlers and that passage made me so angry – these early settlers couldn’t get up off their rumps to tend the farms, to be kind to the Indians, nor settle a land without resorting to genocide. How completely atrocious!
A great post, Jenners. It is difficult, learning these things about our history, but I have found the knowledge has made my belief in equality and democracy stronger over time. I’m hoping to have another post up on this and the next chapter next week.
Great synopsis. I could’ve used your brain when I was typing my post yesterday!
Thank you for sharing this book on such a sensitive subject. It’s always hard to read about the mistreatment of human beings. But it sounds like it was written with delicacy and attention to detail. Thank you for bringing awareness to this book and especially near Black History Month.
I haven’t made my way completely through this chapter, but I am disturbed by Jonestown and the things that went on there. I feel that the introduction of slave labor there was an incorrect action. Basically, if the town could not subside by themselves, they should have closed up shop and went home, not brought in slaves to tend the crops that would feed them. There was much to do about the laziness of some of the settlers, and that got me angry as well. Like I said, these are just preliminary thoughts, as I have yet to finish the chapter, but it I am finding that this is a book that raises one’s blood pressure!
“I was struck how the supposedly more advanced culture ends up being more vicious and cruel than the “backwards” culture”-this is very true, I think we see this time and again if we look back on history. It’s sad.
I watched a documentary on the treatment of slaves in the South taking place before the Civil War, it was mind boggling. I cried. Some house
slaves were made to wear contraptions covering their heads, almost like iron masks, to make sure they wouldn’t eat thier ‘owners’ food while working.
I was first exposed to Howard Zinn when I was in college. I remember thinking that I had never really learned anything about US History until I read Zinn’s book. It is definitely eye opening and yes, the chapters to come are just as shocking. I’d love to read the latest version. I believe I have it on my shelves at home. I originally read Zinn in 1982.
Thank you for your sensitive reading of this book/chapter. It is important that people know what really happened in history, and the horrors of slavery.
A shocking and shameful chapter in history – and one that needs to be faced to understand society then and now.
The description of the slave ships was just gut-wrenching and definitely left out of all my school approved textbooks.
What an undertaking reading the “ugly” parts of history. Let’s hope history in this case does not repeat itself.
Just amazing all the things they *don’t* teach in schools!
I know what you mean, the first two chapters do not paint a pretty picture of the U.S.’s beginnings. I thought it was interesting how Zinn pointed out the different factors that contributed to slavery starting.
Truly shocking, I can’t imagine this chapter made for easy reading and yet I think it is something we should all know about lest we forget.