Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon
- 1. Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon is a powerful and poignant exploration of the post-Civil War era in the United States, particularly focusing on the insidious continuation of slavery practices through convict leasing and forced labor systems that emerged in the South. Blackmon meticulously documents how, despite the abolition of slavery, many African Americans faced a new form of bondage that was perpetuated through oppressive legal structures and exploitative economic systems. The book highlights the stories of individuals who were wrongfully imprisoned and subsequently sold into labor, revealing the stark realities of how racial discrimination and societal indifference enabled this system to thrive well into the 20th century. By combining extensive research with compelling narratives, Blackmon illustrates the deep-rooted legacy of racism and the ongoing repercussions of these historical injustices, urging readers to confront the uncomfortable truths about America's past and its connections to contemporary issues of inequality and civil rights.
What loophole in the 13th Amendment allowed forced labor to continue?
A) Except during wartime
B) Except for agricultural work
C) Except in border states
D) Except as punishment for a crime
- 2. What were Black men commonly arrested for to supply convict labor?
A) Copyright infringement
B) Tax evasion
C) Vagrancy and minor offenses
D) Treason and espionage
- 3. Which industry heavily relied on convict leasing in Alabama?
A) Automobile production
B) Coal mining
C) Textile manufacturing
D) Shipbuilding
- 4. What Pulitzer Prize did the book win in 2009?
A) General Nonfiction
B) Biography
C) Investigative Reporting
D) History
- 5. What was the 'peonage' system described in the book?
A) Forced labor to pay off debts
B) Military service requirements
C) Voluntary apprenticeship programs
D) Government work programs
- 6. Which US President finally ended the convict leasing system?
A) Franklin D. Roosevelt
B) Harry Truman
C) Theodore Roosevelt
D) Woodrow Wilson
- 7. What was a common fate of convict laborers?
A) Transfer to northern factories
B) Promotion to supervisory roles
C) Early release for good behavior
D) Death from dangerous working conditions
- 8. How were Black women affected by these labor systems?
A) They were also forced into labor
B) They organized resistance movements
C) They were exempt from forced labor
D) They only worked in domestic service
- 9. What role did local law enforcement play in this system?
A) Provided legal representation
B) Protected Black workers' rights
C) Arrested Black men on false charges
D) Investigated labor abuses
- 10. What was the relationship between Jim Crow laws and convict leasing?
A) They were unrelated systems
B) Convict leasing ended Jim Crow
C) Jim Crow laws prohibited forced labor
D) Jim Crow enabled the legal framework for forced labor
- 11. What was the primary system used to re-enslave African Americans after Reconstruction?
A) Indentured servitude
B) Apprenticeship programs
C) Sharecropping contracts
D) Convict leasing
- 12. Which company is highlighted as a major user of forced labor?
A) General Electric
B) U.S. Steel
C) Standard Oil
D) Ford Motor Company
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