They Were Her Property facts for kids
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| Author | Stephanie Jones-Rogers |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | History, women's studies, business & economics, 19th century, American American studies |
| Publisher | Yale University Press |
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Publication date
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February 19, 2019 |
| Media type | Print & Digital |
| Pages | 296 (hardcover first edition) |
| Awards | Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Merle Curti Social History Award |
| ISBN | 9780300218664 |
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South is a history book by Stephanie Jones-Rogers. It explores the important role white women played in owning enslaved people in the Southern United States. The book challenges the old idea that white women were not very involved in slavery. It was published by Yale University Press on February 19, 2019. Stephanie Jones-Rogers received several awards for her work, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Contents
What the Book is About
They Were Her Property explains that white women were very active in owning enslaved people in the American South. Many people used to think that only men owned enslaved people, or that women were less involved. This book shows that this was not true.
How the Author Found Her Information
Stephanie Jones-Rogers used many old documents to write her book. She looked at stories from people who were formerly enslaved. These stories were collected by the Federal Writers' Project. She also studied old sales records for enslaved people. These records showed that white women often bought and sold enslaved individuals. For example, about 40% of sales records from South Carolina in the 1700s included a female buyer or seller.
White Women's Role in Slavery
The book argues that white girls were taught from a young age how to manage a plantation. They learned how to be "plantation mistresses." This meant they were in charge of the enslaved people on their family's land. The book also shows that white women were often very strict and sometimes harsh with the enslaved people they owned. This goes against the idea that white women were kinder to enslaved people than white men.
Slavery and Women's Wealth
Jones-Rogers also explains that owning enslaved people was a main way for white women to gain wealth. It helped them become financially independent. This meant they could have their own money and property. They even used special legal tools to keep their enslaved people. This prevented their husbands from taking control of their property.
Awards and Recognition
They Were Her Property has received several important awards for its research and findings.
- Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Los Angeles Times (2019)
- Merle Curti Social History Award, Organization of American Historians (2020)
- Lincoln Prize finalist, Gettysburg College and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (2020)
