A review by emmbien
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers

4.0

The tone of the book is dry and academic, but the horrors chronicled in it are vital for understanding white women’s role in slavery. It adds a perspective to the discourse on history, race, and gender which previous histories glossed over. Every aspect that was previously considered relegated to the role of men was perpetuated, maintained, and enjoyed by women. Some of the particularly horrific accounts center on documentation of women’s role in beating and mutilating enslaved people, as well as their crucial role in the commodification of the reproductive and sexual capabilities of Black women. It’s a tough read, but an important perspective as I seek to understand and face the role white women play in upholding white supremacy.