Consequences of Abolition on Ex-Slaves

Consequences of Abolition on Ex-Slaves

Drawbacks of the 13th Amendment

Most people view the abolition of slavery in a positive light. The 13th amendment is credited with ending slavery and involuntary servitude "except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted" (NPS, 1997). Though the emancipation of slaves was at first viewed as a triumphant success for the people it affected, there were many drawbacks. Most of the slaves that were freed did not embark on a life filled with the pursuit of happiness and freedom.

Instead many slaves actually struggled to survive and make ends meat in a society that still looked upon ex-slaves as 'second class citizens.' The notion of ex- slaves as second class citizens the many hardships they faced after passage of the 13th amendment are explored in greater detail below.

Many slaves experienced hardship after abolition. Ex-slaves own accounts attest to the difficulty a number of slaves had finding homes and jobs and protecting themselves from prejudiced and discriminatory behavior (Nichols, 1969). Whereas many slaves had grown up on plantations where they had a roof to cover their head and consistent meals to eat, many found themselves forced out onto the 'street' with nothing to rely on. Many had no job, no home and no education they could rely on to find a reasonable way to make a living for themselves in the world.

The opportunities that existed for most ex-slaves were not considered optimal. Most ex-slaves were still viewed with a great degree of prejudice. Ex-slaves were not afforded the same freedoms as their white counterparts, and there were few people initially that stood up to represent the masses of ex-slaves that had been released so that there was adequate representation among them. Many were turned out and didn't know where to go or how to start living the life of a 'freed' man. Some moved to Canada where they found the environment was less discriminatory and prejudice, though there was still discrimination even in Canada and Europe during the time of abolition (Nichols, 1969).

A cultural gap also existed between the races that even today are considered unsettled and somewhat widespread (White, 1989). From a cultural perspective, the ideals and beliefs that many African-Americans held dear were by and large very different from the cultural norms and ideals held by most white plantation owners and other white citizens. Thus many freed slaves had to struggle to find their place in the new nation and settle themselves within communities that by and large still viewed them as outsiders or intruders. The comfort level of most ex-slaves remained largely unsettled, except when ex-slaves were among ex-slaves and whites among whites.

Many ex-slaves were not freed into a world that welcomed them equally, and struggled for years over the issue of equality after the abolitionist movement (Moller, 2004). For the most part ex-slaves were confined to live in a world that promoted segregation and separation. They did not have the opportunity to enjoy the same 'freedoms' and luxuries that their white counterparts did, and they were certainly not represented equally or fairly within the U.S. judicial system, at least not in the early days of the abolitionist movement.

Eventually some leaders did emerge among the ex-slave population, all of whom realized that to gain true freedom ex-slaves would have to experience equal representation and enjoy the same freedoms that white people were enjoying in the United States. Equal opportunity would also require that the people living in America realize that ex-slaves were not second class citizens but rather individuals capable of contributing much to the great nation that they lived in and were now free in.

Frederick Douglass was in fact one of the first black men to realize that abolition had not cured the ills of the black people living in this country, but instead realized that it had only relegated most freed slaves to a second class status in the United States (Moller, 2004). His disappointment with Emancipation was the same felt by many black slaves. He realized just how severe the conditions were that faced many ex-slaves, and the lack of opportunities that actually existed for most slaves that were uneducated and unsupported by strong leaders in the U.S. judicial system. For this reason Douglass was among many that eventually stepped up to the plate to argue in favor of equality for all black citizens.

Race prejudice was a widespread problem in the United States at the time that the 13th amendment was passed. Just because the government had enacted legislation making slavery illegal, didn't mean that the majority of the people living in the United States accepted that ex-slaves should have the right to the same freedoms as whites did. Many whites including plantation owners and ex-slave owners still believed that ex-slaves were less informed and ignorant of the ways of the world.

Ex-slaves were discriminated against in many ways. There were separate schools established for ex-slaves such as the one that Booker T. Washington attended (Moller, 2004). Even with some form of education most freed slaves were left with jobs that were below average. Some worked in mines and other harsh and dangerous conditions. Many were poor and could not find useful work to cover their basic expenses. Others worked in maintenance but still faced a life that entailed being considered a second class citizen.

Many ex-slaves set about pursuing land and homes, which they found incredibly difficult in the world that existed after abolition. Many freed slaves lived in sub-standard conditions. They did not have the same opportunities that whites had to earn a living and get paid fair wages for good jobs. Thus many struggled in poverty like conditions.