Slavery in the U.S.
© John W. Jones
Slavery in the U.S.:
The Long Shadow of Slavery Over Women and Girls
In the United States we like to think we closed the door on slavery in 1865, but 250 years of slaveholding and servitude and nearly a century of Jim Crow have left their mark on the lives of all Americans. For example, the contorted morality that allowed slaveholders to sexually exploit enslaved women still echoes today: Studies reveal that it is easier to prosecute and punish a rapist if the victim is white than if she is black.
Learn more about victim race and rape through the links on the right side of this page. There you will find resources, including literature reviews and an extensive bibliography, which explore the impact of U.S. slavery on the lives of women and girls.