RELIGION

Frederick Douglas said “But the church of this country is not only indifferent to the wrongs of the slave, it actually takes sides with the oppressors. It has made itself the bulwark of American slavery, and the shield of American slave-hunters.”  Douglas railed strongly against religion as an institution that was conveniently used by wealthy plantation owners to rationalize slavery.  Religion was further used by the not so wealthy non-slave-owners who would have represented the bottom-rung of society in the South if it were not for slaves. Despite this, religion was used by slaves to “get them through” the unbearable hopelessness that was their life as it has done throughout history for varied civilizations.  For many slaves religion gave spiritual meaning to a life devoid of hope.

The photograph above is of a church built exclusively for slaves on the grounds of a plantation in South Carolina. By common agreement, today’s artists give credit to gospel music as the genesis of soul music. Gospel music emanated from churches such as this. Religion was obviously a great outlet at a time when an outlet was sorely needed. “Slaves worshiped with great enthusiasm. Religion, after all, provided a ready refuge from their daily miseries and kindled the hope that one day their sorrows might end.”

            The irony is that slave owners used religion, as stated earlier, to justify their actions through rationalization. They would point to parts in the Bible that addressed how an owner needed to treat his slaves as justification that slavery is sanctioned by the Bible.  Slaves used religion to hold on to hopes that their suffering was temporary and would be righted by the Almighty eventually.

            Plantation owners viewed the church as having a pacifying affect on slaves and encouraged their attendance. This is in contrast to allowing slaves to learn how to read, which in the mind of slave owners would infuse slaves with knowledge of concepts such as “liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and incite them to rebel.  (Yong R.)
          Despite the plantation owners attempts to prevent rebellion among the slave, rebellion was still very prevalent among slaves.  (Next section:  Resistance and Rebellion)