Source: http://atlantablackstar.com
Owners of enslaved people claimed they were doing Black women a favor by having sex with them.
Enslaved women were forced to have sex with their owners, but their masters considered this a favor. White men often claimed they were doing Black women a favor by saving them from having sex with Black men who were considered to be animalistic and brutal.
Enslaved women known as “Mammies” did more than cook and clean, they were often expected to be extremely affectionate to their masters.
Many people know that enslaved women known as “Mammies” worked in their master’s homes rather than out in the fields, but this certainly didn’t make life any easier for the women. They were sometimes expected to incredibly affectionate and intimate with their owners – moreso than other enslaved individuals. If they ever resisted any intimate advance, they might be subjected to incredibly harsh punishments such as beatings or rape.
“Mammy” women were usually dressed to be a representation of their master’s wealth.
Many “mammy” women were not dressed in the same tattered clothing that other slaves often donned. The women who worked in the master’s homes were often dressed in much nicer clothes, but not out of kindness or respect. Mammy women were considered to be a representation of the master’s wealth. In other words, the nicer their Mammy woman was dressed, the wealthier the master was perceived to be.
Enslaved women known as “Jezebels” were sometimes raped and then accused of being promiscuous.
A certain group of enslaved women were deemed “Jezebels” by their owners. These women were assumed to be even more promiscuous than the other enslaved Black women and were often subjected to sexual abuse multiple times throughout the day. While white men forced these “Jezebels” to have sex with them, they insisted that it was the enslaved woman’s fault for being so promiscuous.
Owners of enslaved women usually took no responsibility or ownership of the babies they had with these women.
Many of the enslaved women would be come pregnant after being raped by their owners. These women were often forced to carry out the pregnancy although the owner would refuse to take any ownership or responsibility for the child. The bi-racial children were also more likely to be subjected to abuse by mistresses who often saw the mixed children as a reminder of their husbands’ infidelity.
Mistresses often beat enslaved women for having sex with their husbands while the husband was never held accountable.
In addition the mixed children being subjected to abuse disgruntled mistresses, the enslaved women were sometimes also punished. Mistresses would sometimes blame the enslaved women for allegedly tempting their husbands and seducing them. This was especially true for many Black women labeled Jezebels.
Slave owners often impregnated enslaved women on purpose so they could have more workers in the field.
Enslaved women were not just considered tools to get work done; they were also considered cattle capable of producing more tools for work. Cruel masters would purposefully get enslaved women pregnant so they could have more workers available to work the fields, allowing them to take on more land.
Enslaved Black males were often forced to have sex with enslaved Black women to impregnate them.
White slave owners were not the only men enslaved Black women were forced to have sex with. Masters often paired enslaved women up with athletic enslaved men in hopes they could create more healthy, strong servants to work in the fields.
The sexual exploitation of enslaved women has led to the creation of Jezebel stereotypes in mainstream media.
The sexual exploitation of Black women is not a thing of the past as they are often sexually exploited in mainstream media. Many academias describe hip-hop stars like Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim as jezebel stereotypes. These over sexualized perceptions of Black women are embraced and perpetuated through mainstream media today.
