If you are a white American who can trace their family tree back to any point in the 17th century, you may or may not want to read this article.
An indentured servant was typically a young, unskilled laborer who came to America under contract to work for an employer for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for their ocean transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of their indenture. They included men and women; most were under age 21, and most became helpers on farms or house servants. They were not paid wages. (Definition Wikipedia)
The term “Indentured Servitude” is the word often used when one asks about white slavery in this country. Slavery as we know it usually brings up images of the Black race and the tortures they endured. However we can find that long before Black Slavery in this country, it began with the whites. It began with the kidnapped of London (usually Children.) The Poor of the UK, Convicts and Criminals, War Prisoners of Ireland and Scotland, as well as the prostitutes of these countries. Most “Indentured Servants” were from Italy and Greece.
These individuals were shipped to the colonies as slaves. White slave laws were worded “Service of Whites Bound” to ex: John Smith “Perpetual.” Which meant for those and their children a continuing life of family servitude. It is estimated that over 50% of those arriving to the colonies were White Slaves, also called “The First Slaves.”
White Slaves were auctioned off at the Block, Husband and Wife separated, and separate from their children as well. Free Black property owners walked among the streets. Please remember the time frame we are speaking of here. Black slavery does not exist yet in this country. The white slaves often worked the sugar mills, fields, and ship lines. Women usually in the fields or as home maids of some sort. Children depending on age would do the same. The discussion of childhood sexual servitude in the US is difficult to press as most of the young females would have been sold for that service to those in other countries, meaning it wasn’t practiced in light of day here. (not to say it did not happen) Most of this information can be found in early US census data. It is often for White Female Slaves to die without a death certificate around the age of 10.
The loss of life among the White slaves was greater than that of the black slaves during the ‘Middle Passage’, remember these people were the surplus poor, they were not purchased as the black slaves were, therefore treated with less regard. In comparison to Black Slaves deaths during ‘Middle Passage’ of 10-15% White Slave loss was between 35-50%. White slaves rarely saw the light of day during their voyage as they were kept below decks chained, sick, and often with open wounds which led to infection and disease often wiping out entire shipments.
White Slaves were sold to clean the streets and the prisons of their countries, whereas Black Slaves were sold by their Cheiftians, usually at a higher price and thus treated as thoroughbreds, as far as slaves went. Black slavery became popular due to the deaths and really lack of surplus of white slaves. Even after the emancipation of the Black slave, many white slaves still endured. The emancipation of the White Slave did not occur, till very late in the 1800’s and even then many remained slaves under the term “Indentured Servitude”. To follow this as the White Slave Children were Slaves by birth, the industrial revolution found many children as young as 4 working the factories well into the 1920’s.
White slaves were known as “Hillbillies, Rednecks, White Trash, White N***ers,” those terms are still used to this day, though the origin of their meaning has been lost. The question would arise for some why the white slaves did not fight along side the black slaves for freedom. The white slaves could not understand why the Northern Whites would fight for the freedoms of the blacks, and not their own, causing a divide. White slaves (though generations later) were still considered the “Surplus Poor”. The wealthy White would never admit to subjecting their own people to such torment as the Black endured, although the white slaves endured worse. Here we can see the clearest division of class.
Sadly it is unlikely that this information will ever be taught in the public school system as we are taught the history of the Black Slaves. Nor will we learn much of the Asian Slaves who followed in the paths of the Black Slaves. If the greater America knew of it’s true roots, those who really did build this country with their blood, regardless of race, might actually be able to rise and claim what they bled for.
References:
They Were White and They Were Slaves, Michael A Hoffman II
The Irish Slave Trade – The Forgotten “White” Slaves
Wikipedia – Wilmot Proviso
