How Did Medical Conditions Affect The Life Of African American Slaves?

“Do I see 110? Do I hear 120? 125? Going once, going twice, sold for 125 to the tall man in the back.” Throughout the nineteenth century, buyers bargained for African American slaves to work on plantations. Slaves went through inhuman acts of torture. The traveling that slaves went through was unimaginably remorseless and would forever be a part of their lives. Being auctioned off in areas where their surroundings were no longer the same as they were in the past was mortifying to them. Health conditions were minimized lower than where they were before their voyage over to the United States. Auctioning processes were tough for everyone who was involved. Having a normal routine, a normal “dress code,” and a normal way of living was completely
The buyers congregated in the town to observe the slaves being sold (Crowe 130-136). Before being brought into a room or being put on stage for the auction, the slaves were to bathe and all had to bathe in front of each other as well in front of the watchmen (12 Years A Slave). As slaves were brought out, they tended to be looked at like “special china” but thrown around like they were worthless (“The Slave Auctions”). Those who were partaking in the auction, such as the auctioneer, frequently made derogatory and degrading jokes about the slaves (“The Slave Auctions”). Aside from the joking and awful name calling, the auctioneer, or whomever was attempting to sell the slaves, talked very highly of them (“The Slave Auctions”). Auctioneers looked for the best way to talk about their slaves in a high manner in order to receive the highest amount for their slaves (“The Slave Auctions”). Families were often split up without question (“The Slave Experience: The Family”). Men were normally taken from their wives and children; however, children were not split up from their mothers as often, especially when dealing with the daughters (“The Slave Experience: The Family”). Usually, the mother and daughter were kept together so their new master could make a smoother transition in order to enhance their work ethic (“The Slave Experience: The Family”). The feelings of the families were never taken into consideration, and the “basic family unit” was gladly compromised (“The Slave Experience: The Family”). Owners could then obtain full returns by merchandising the pretty women, more exclusively the lighter skinned women, into prostitution (“The Slave Experience: The Family”). No slave was thrilled through these experiences; after all, who would want to be forced to dress completely different just to be purchased like a