Family v. Slavery

In My Bondage and My Freedom, Douglass states that "There is not, beneath the sky, an enemy to filial affection so destructive as slavery" (1251). While slavery's destruction of the family unit was a consequence I've long been acquainted with, Douglass' point that fathers and families are actually antagonistic to slavery was something I had not considered. Enslaved fathers become an alternate male power who stands in the way of the slave master's authority. Fathers also have the potential to care for and protect their families which could lead to disruptions of the status quo and even violence which slave owners would seek to avoid. When the slave master himself is the father, being a father to his children and caring for them would also disrupt the status quo by changing the slaves from property to human beings. This would prevent him from being detached enough to punish and sell his children. Douglass says, by not acknowledging his fatherhood, a slave owner "may sell his child without incurring reproach" (1247). Identification as father would undermine the authority of the slave owner, which is in a interesting situation in that the master must lie and deny his true identity in order to maintain his immoral practice. If deception was not involved, slavery would encounter greater resistance and fall apart, and one could argue that slavery is therefore considered immoral by nature.

Douglass also mentions that families are antagonistic to slavery. I recognized that families were broken up intentionally but I never viewed the family unit as a threat to slavery. I've come to see a few reasons why this might have been so. First, families would allow for larger, bonded groups that could work together to resist white authority, which I could imagine being a fear of their masters. Additionally, families would provide a reason for escape, and often did, as adults sought to free themselves and then return to free their children or spouses, either by helping them escape or purchasing their freedom. The other side of this situation, however, is that if a slave with a known family ran away, his or her family could be punished for their relative's offense. In this way, the existence of families might actually stop slaves from acting out because they didn't want their families to be punished. In general, though, I can understand the view that the family unit could provide support and strength which might prevent a slave's spirit from being broken, making them more dangerous and insubordinate.