Thesis On Celia A Slave

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Celia, a Slave, a book by author Melton McLaurin, shows the typical relationship between a slave woman and her master in America during the 1850s. The story is the perfect example of how relationships between slave and their masters and other non-blacks within the community. This is shown through Celia’s murder of her slave owner, Robert Newsom. It was also shown through the community’s reaction that was involved in unraveling her court case. The Celia personal story illustrated how slave women was treated by their slave owners and how the laws wasn’t effective at protecting slave during the 1850s. Celia’s story help shed light on woman injustices, unconstitutional rights and most importantly racial issues/discrimination.
The relationships between slaves and their owners affected more women slaves than men slaves, mainly because women was generally perceived to be weaker than men during this time period. Many women slaves during this time were used for the sexual purposes by their master only. This was shown in the story when Robert Newsom purchased Celia during the 1850s, at a very young age, of fourteen. Newsom was considered a widower since 1849, because that the year his wife past (name unknown) and he claimed he “needed more than a hostess and a manager of household affairs; he required a sexual partner.” (McLaurin, …show more content…

The case also sheds a light upon the unequal slave treatment that already belittled the black, but oppressed black women even more. Celia’s story about the relationship between her and her slave master, Robert Newson, brought attention to the unequal protection laws for slaves. The story helps illustrate the realities of slave life in America and the personal choices slavery forced upon slaves and slave-owners. The outcome of Celia’s trial was an eye-opener that slavery was definitely inhumane, and help influence the prohibition of

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