Actually, Frederick Douglass, a prominent African American abolitionist and former slave, did not specifically mention the white wives of slave owners inflicting more cruelty on enslaved people who were their own children in his writings.
In his autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave," Douglass highlights the overall cruel treatment and dehumanization experienced by enslaved people, regardless of their relation to the slave owner. He explained that the institution of slavery itself created an environment where violence, abuse, and degradation were widespread.
However, Douglass did mention that mixed-race enslaved children, who were often the offspring of slave owners, faced unique challenges and mistreatment, specifically due to their racial ambiguity. These children were subjected to discrimination and prejudice not only from their white fathers but also from the enslaved community itself. Their dual heritage often made them targets for both physical and psychological abuse.
It is important to note that while Douglass addressed different forms of mistreatment suffered by different groups of enslaved people, he condemned the entire system of slavery and the power dynamics it created, rather than singling out the white wives of slave owners.
Douglass says that the enslaved people who are children of the slave owners experience more
C. cruelty
from the slave owner's white wife than other enslaved people.
1 answer