Review Laboring Women Reproduction and Gender in New World Slavery

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Showtime your review of Laboring Women: Reproduction and Gender in New World Slavery

Blackness women keep to take the highest maternal mortality rates in the US. Information from the CDC'due south Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System indicate that from 2007 to 2017, Black mothers died at a rate of iii.2 times that of their white peers. Black feminist historian Dr. Jennifer Morgan's research on the experiences of enslaved Black women shows how since the 15th century at that place has been an ongoing colonial projection of imagining Black women every bit possessing super homo strength: incapable of experiencing Black women continue to have the highest maternal mortality rates in the Usa. Data from the CDC's Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System indicate that from 2007 to 2017, Blackness mothers died at a charge per unit of three.2 times that of their white peers. Black feminist historian Dr. Jennifer Morgan'south research on the experiences of enslaved Black women shows how since the 15th century there has been an ongoing colonial project of imagining Black women as possessing super human strength: incapable of experiencing pain, especially during childbirth.

From the 15th century every bit European explorers visited communities beyond Africa, they began a sustained process of homogenizing millions of Indigenous African people into newly minted racial categories. Their calendar was to "testify" that at that place were immutable differences between Europeans and Africans in order to justify chattel slavery. As part of this process, European writers and artists would create literary and visual depictions of African people for their audiences back dwelling house. Their renditions became prioritized over the reality of African people.

Fifty-fifty before Africans became defined by skin color, European colonists began to construct racial difference by emphasizing (presumed) differences of gender, sexuality, and reproduction. In 1502 Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci wrote that Africans were different because they were "without shame" and practiced not-monogamous kinship. He argued that African women were "fruitful" and did non experience hurting during childbirth because they were able to piece of work immediately later on giving nascence.

In 155 when British explorer William Towrson went to Guinea he wrote that Ethnic men and women were indistinguishable except for women'due south long breasts. Dr. Morgan notes that descriptions of African women "almost e'er highlighted their fecundity along with their capacity for manual labor" (36). These "erroneous observations" of African women's "mechanical and meaningless childbearing" (40) immune Europeans to imagine African people as ideal for slavery because of their supposed intrinsic and space fertility and ability to work.

The racist mythologies colonists wrote about African women continued to be prioritized over the actual experiences of African women, especially during childbirth. Dr. Morgan argues that from the 16th century on, the image of the "long-breasted" Blackness mother became the symbol that Europeans used to define African peoples every bit brutal and inferior. Europeans turned to Black women every bit "prove of a cultural inferiority that ultimately became encoded as racial difference" (49). African women'south bodies became used as evidence of "tangible barbarism," and her "unwomanly" behavior "evoked an immutable distance between Europe and Africa on which the development of racial slavery depended" (49).

In centering enslaved Blackness women's experiences, Dr. Morgan shows ow gender has always been foundational to the construction of racism. In other words, racism is a gendered project. She also challenges the whiteness of women's history for erasing the reality of slavery, arguing that unlike white women, Black women were never permitted access to domesticity and were never understood equally weak or frail. Instead, they were forced to reproduce and deport constant transmission labor. The arrangement of racial slavery fabricated all Africans, regardless of reproductive chapters, "work in ways the English could non conceive of working themselves" (145)

Some Initiatives Working Against Black Birth Mortality:

Ancient Song Doula Services
Black Mamas Thing Brotherhood (@blackmamasmatter)
Black Women Birthing Justice (@birthingjustice)
Groundswell Fund Birth Justice Fund
Growing & Glowing (growing_glowing_moms)
National Birth Equity Collective (birthequity.org)
Sista Midwife Directory (@sistamidwife)
SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Commonage (@sistersong_woc)
Spark Reproductive Justice (@sparkrjnow)
The Black Maternal Wellness Conclave

...more

Sep 07, 2011 Tortla rated it liked it

Recommends it for: historians, stodgy old white men who don't retrieve racism/sexism are bug

I like the historiographic, feminist, multivalenced-and-constructed-identities elements of the text. Merely it was so frequently bogged downwards with statistics and dry charts that I had a trend to skim. (I approximate they were convincing $.25 of evidence for Morgan'south points on the exploitation of women for hegemonic, race-defining, labor-providing ends...but only if you really read them.)
Overall, it'southward an interesting and convincing read. I'yard not nifty on the corporeality of technical testify, especially sinc I like the historiographic, feminist, multivalenced-and-constructed-identities elements of the text. But it was so frequently bogged down with statistics and dry charts that I had a trend to skim. (I guess they were disarming bits of evidence for Morgan's points on the exploitation of women for hegemonic, race-defining, labor-providing ends...merely just if y'all actually read them.)
Overall, it's an interesting and convincing read. I'm not keen on the amount of technical evidence, especially since it gets depressing to read for pages and pages about the objectification of women (eastward.g. existence equated to cows, paired off in presumable breeding couples, set aside in wills with implicit hopes that they will accrue a sort of interest past reproducing). That said, some of the statistical data was revealing (such as the surprising amount of female slaves brought to the Americas, and the contrary-to-presumptions-of-domestic-work tendency for women to work in the fields). At that place were several other little nuggets of data for which I'yard thankful to have read this trivial book. Information technology certainly reinforced my liberal artsy appreciation of historical complexity, constructed identities and a pervasive hegemonic force confronting which our enlightened understanding of these complex issues has had to struggle.
I'thousand sure there's a more succinct way of addressing my response to this book. I guess I merely plant it actually repetitive and its arguments somewhat obvious, so I'1000 having a hard time pinpointing what makes information technology a valuable read. The analysis of iconography of African woman was revealing. And such detailed accounts of intellectual hypocrisy used to rationalize the institution of slavery is always comforting to read in that whole wait-how-far-we've-come, we-can-set up-things kind of mode. Plus, the historical nature of this text makes this sentiment more valid and less pandering/self-congratulatory than feelgood fiction addressing the oppression of black women might (*cough* The Help *cough*)... ...more

While Morgan's thesis is thought provoking, she fails to definitively connect reproduction as an integral role of life for the African slave woman. She stretches the limited source material and statistical data to represent the argument she is presenting. Overall a expert read, just not fantastic scholarship. While Morgan'south thesis is thought provoking, she fails to definitively connect reproduction every bit an integral function of life for the African slave woman. She stretches the limited source material and statistical data to correspond the argument she is presenting. Overall a skillful read, but non fantastic scholarship. ...more

Mar 25, 2016 Andee Nero rated it really liked it

This is a really short volume because, as Morgan points out, a lot of what she says should be adequately obvious. Sometimes this comes off every bit redundancy. As she explains, if annihilation, the biggest bespeak of her book is that "African women were at that place." She definitely achieved this goal. I've read several books that claim to be specifically about the feel of African women, or that hope to emphasize their feel, only they fail whereas Morgan actually pulls this off. This is a actually short book because, as Morgan points out, a lot of what she says should be adequately obvious. Sometimes this comes off as redundancy. Every bit she explains, if anything, the biggest point of her book is that "African women were there." She definitely accomplished this goal. I've read several books that claim to be specifically about the feel of African women, or that promise to emphasize their experience, but they fail whereas Morgan actually pulls this off. ...more

April 30, 2017 Melissa rated it really liked it

Overall, I thought this was well-written, well-researched, and well-presented. I think Morgan could have focused more than on sexual attack by slaveowners, equally unfortunately that was pretty central to many enslaved women'southward repro experiences, simply overall great book that makes a much-needed contribution to the field. Overall, I thought this was well-written, well-researched, and well-presented. I retrieve Morgan could have focused more on sexual assault past slaveowners, as unfortunately that was pretty central to many enslaved women's repro experiences, simply overall groovy book that makes a much-needed contribution to the field. ...more

A good historiographic depiction of the middle passage and Slavery in Imperial Britain. A refreshing argument on women'southward doubled labour power; one of reproductive labour and the other physical enslaved labour. A skilful introductory text for those interested in learning more about enslaved women's part in imperial expansionist efforts. A skillful historiographic depiction of the middle passage and Slavery in Majestic Britain. A refreshing argument on women's doubled labour ability; one of reproductive labour and the other physical enslaved labour. A practiced introductory text for those interested in learning more about enslaved women's role in imperial expansionist efforts. ...more than

Feb 05, 2017 Christy rated information technology information technology was amazing

An excellent example of how racism and sexism combine against Black women enslaved and used in the US Southward economy.

Jan 13, 2022 Thubten Palmo rated it it was amazing

Essential reading for anyone interested in the construction of the two gender system

Dec 12, 2016 Karen marked information technology as to-read

* Understanding Oppression: African American Rights (Then and At present)

Jan 05, 2013 Joanna rated information technology it was amazing

I read this as a textbook for i of my history classes. It presented a dissimilar perspective I had never considered and I was e'er eager to read sections from it.

Sep 22, 2014 Ying rated information technology liked it

Really liked her take on resistance inside communities of laboring women of color. Likewise on temporality and the idea that the master's future is vested in her womb. Really liked her have on resistance within communities of laboring women of colour. Also on temporality and the thought that the chief's hereafter is vested in her womb. ...more than

Apr 08, 2013 J rated information technology it was amazing

A horrifying but relevant survey of the means in which the West normalized slavery and colonization, through their burgeoning ideas of gender and race.

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