The Life of a Jezebel: Sexual Exploitation of Enslaved Women in the Antebellum South

Enslaved women forced into the system of concubinage experienced slavery differently than other enslaved people. In addition to daily chores, enslaved concubines had the added weight of complying to the sexual desire of their master. This continual rape put enslaved women in a difficult situation, in which they were chosen as “favorites” of their owner. Whether these women chose to accept this status or not, the status came with violence from jealous wives and vicious masters, as well as confusion within oneself. The system of concubinage employed by slave-owners undermined the personhood of enslaved women by taking away their right to choose, which forced bondswomen to cultivate a myriad of different responses to the sexual violence inflicted upon them.