Tensions, tempers, and temptations: marital discord among slaves in antebellum South Carolina

Abstract

Research into the intimate areas of slaves' lives has proven problematic for historians because the typicality of private sentiments is always hard to establish, and within slave testimony such as the WPA narratives, reference to issues of marital discord, abuse, or adultery is rare. However, the records of slave owners and the disciplinary committees of antebellum biracial churches can prove most fruitful in an investigation into slave marital antagonisms. This evidence, when used in conjunction with limited testimony conveyed within slave narratives and autobiographies for the state of South Carolina, illustrates that the system of slavery led the enslaved towards the creation of clearly defined gender roles. Women were obliged to take care of domestic affairs, while men were expected to act as protectors and providers. It was when a spouse failed to conform to these gendered expectations that marital strife ensued. Understanding the specific duties and obligations of male and female slaves therefore allows for a more systematic analysis of spousal discord, and a more realistic appraisal of the nature of the relationships between enslaved couples.