Running head: REVIEW OF SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME

Review of Slavery by Another Name

Stephen Cody Benedict
Wright State University

REVIEW OF SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME

Recently, I had the pleasure of watching the film, Slavery by Another

Name, a PBS documentary overviewing the life of African-Americans in the
south after the civil war and the passing of the 13th amendment to the
Constitution, which freed African- Americans from slavery. However, what
history class doesn't teach us about, is the first clause is that slavery is
abolished, except in cases of prisons. The term was then taken full
advantage of by white people, with little to no help from the courts that
initially set them free.
This film highlights to me three crucial issues in the African-American
community in the area of higher education, which is: trust, identity, and
value. Through this paper, I will discuss these elements and my suggestions
of ways to overcome them.
Trust
Trust is the foundational piece of any and all relationships. Lawmakers
in the late 1800's said that slavery was an act against humanity, and once
the country re-established after years of fighting, it would appear that the
state said my job is done, and now it's up to you. Well, the only problem with
that thinking is, there were no resources for African-Americans and that all
lawmakers and enforcement in the south were a majority, white men who
were former slave owners. The government essentially did not step in until
the early 1900's after Feodor Roosevelt took office and again in 1960's
during the civil rights movement. This blatant neglect allowed hundred years
of horrors greater than slavery.

REVIEW OF SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME

In the American higher education system, you will find a majority of

administrators and professors to still being a white male dominated the field.
Here in lies the issue today, even though that racism, in some arguments is
not as bad or as visible it once was. However, the previous generation or the
generation of my parents and grandparents still remember a time when
oppression was very visible. Where African-Americans were free, but didn't
have any rights. To preserve, the rights and freedoms that the previous
generation had fought so violently for the adults have taught the AfricanAmerican students of my generation not to trust or have severe reservations
about people who have white skin.
I think the best solution to this issue, is to reassure this generation of
African-American Students that their voices do matter and that we, as
Student Affairs professionals are here to support them. In my current role in
Community Standards and Student Conduct, if a student were to reveal to
me they feel they were documented based on their race. I would first tell the
student that I support them and their feelings in the situation. I will
investigate the matter to the best of my abilities and above all else support
the student in their efforts to obtain their degree.
Identity
What I have learned from this film, but more of the conversations that I
have on a daily basis is that African-Americans tend to have a harder time
defining who they are because they are not sure where their history is from.
In an example, a very close friend told me that, He has a hard time identify

REVIEW OF SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME

where he comes from because his family has no real documentation of their
lineage until the 1930's. I understand the idea that you don't know where to
go if you are not sure where you originate
Throughout the research, I have learned that many African-American
women were forced into sexual activity by their masters, which meant even
the children of African-Americans weren't adequately documented, the
question of paternity would take more than a lifetime to solve. I believe one
of the most fundamental ways to support students through this identity crisis
is to first and foremost, admit that the past was horrific. However, there is
nothing we can do about the past except acknowledge that it happened and
find a way to move forward with the information that we do have.
Finally, I believe one of the most important concepts that we need to
teach our students is that it does not matter where you came from. However,
it only matters where you are going. That the past does tell the story of
where you came from, but the future will determine what kind of person you
will become, and that is what is most important.
Value
In the film, the historians depicted that the white people saw AfricanAmericans as animals, creatures with little to no value in society issues until
it came to the bank accounts of white people. Historians have shown how
much the civil war affected the economy. So, when the country was in
rebuilding, it became more-or-less of cat and mouse game in the South
between white people and African-Americans.

REVIEW OF SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME

As I stated in earlier, the language of the 13th amendment allowed

white people to re-enslave African Americans, charging them with crimes and
creating laws and sketchy business deals that no one would ever be able to
escape. These happenings gave former slave owners to rebuild what the war
took away from them without little work on their part.
In society today, we still see oppression, and we still see how rich and
powerful white people are still making millions upon millions at the cost of
African-Americans. We see young African-Americans getting murdered by
white cops and somehow still finding a way to justify themselves, we see
government officials ignoring water a crisis effecting the lives of only AfricanAmericans. With history and current events, we as student affairs
professionals have a challenging time working with students letting them
know they do have value to our society and keep encouraging them to move
forward.
Finally, I would like to note that issues run very deep, and it is going to
take more than fifty years to move forward from, especially since we clearly
have more work to do to fix our society. I found this assignment very
challenging because I was able to identify the issues, but found it difficult to
discover the solution. I don't think that solutions that I proposed will not
solve anything. However, I believe that they are the beginnings to helping
students succeed.

REVIEW OF SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME