Claim: "Oral Traditions were told to educate, encoaurage, and inspire future generations to prevent African American tolerance to enslavement".
4/4/2026
“What cared my owners for that? he was merely a piece of property. Moreover, they thought he had spoiled his children, by teaching them to feel that they were human beings" (Jacobs, 1861). Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
The Slave Community book dives into oral teachings that were important for fostering African American identity. Enslaved parents prepared their children for society by coaching them on how to behave and how to think. "Holding one's tongue" was a common lesson taught that would go on to protect black children against the southern society built on harsh racism. As a child holding your tongue meant keeping what you seen a secret, especially since enslavers would use conversations had between their children and the black child as a tool to spy on the adults in the plantation (Blassingame, pp.186). This lesson would teach conformity as the children got older and would have to weigh the risk on their life for speaking out or against a white person in public. Despite this, parents would encourage their children to "fight back" against their enslavers if it meant protecting their family; W.H. Robinson's father even going as far as saying, "I want you to die in defense of your mother..." (Blassingame, pp. 188).
These ways of behaving helped to shape Black children from being totally reliant and submissive of their enslavers. Learning how to hold back from speaking out against them yet being prepared to fight back is grounds for resentment against their oppressors to grow. Slave parents also fostered their children's self-identity during their youth. Blassingame explains how during a time when enslavers erase a person's name enough to be considered property (Blassingame, pp. 182-183), parents fully naming their children had importance. Grandfathers would share memories of their time in Africa and Parents would encourage their children to pray for better times and introduce them to Christianity which provided them with an eternal heaven (Blassingame, pp. 181-190). Mothers would also speak confidence into their babies to build self-esteem when they could (Blassingame, pp. 183). Family providing children with an identity outside of slavery would provide uplifting and comforting feelings upon their children. These mindsets were important since they allowed enslaved children to feel hopeful for freedom and more outside of their current position.
African American Folktales
4/4/2026