Slavery By Another Name Analysis

“Slavery By Another Name”

The Post Civil War and The Reconstruction period was called “Slavery by another name”. This renaming is rightfully named correct because in that era slavery was at its worst form. From watching the video three key points to mention are as follows: new laws made for blacks, hazardous work environment, and Peonage labor.

This new slavery imposed new laws for blacks. New laws came about to criminalize blacks. There was a new law called the vagrancy law which allowed authorities to arrest blacks for minor infractions and commit them to forced labor. This lead to “convicted leasing”.

While imprisoned, blacks were subjected to hazardous work environment through “convict leasing”. Convicted blacks were leased

by contractors from states to be used for labor. Through this system blacks were ill-treated because they were owned by “slave masters”. They would walk three miles through rain and snow. They would work for months and not see sunlight. Many would die as a result of drinking dirty water, or be subjected to explosions, and whippings. These imprisoned workers were only worth nine dollars a month.

Peonage labor included falsely accusing blacks and quickly sentencing them. It was a system set up by the whites as a network, so that they would cover for each other. They would say a black owed a fee that was incorrect and then arrest them. Then someone would pay for them to get out of jail and force the individual into forced labor to pay the debt. Even when the debt was paid they still kept the blacks in to forced labor.

Post Civil War brought on new laws for blacks, hazardous work environment and Peonage labor.