What did the Slaves think of Slavery?

Enslaved people overwhelmingly hated slavery and saw it as a brutal, dehumanizing, and unjust system. While individual experiences varied, common reactions included:

Despair and grief over being torn from family and homeland

Resistance, both passive (working slowly, feigning illness) and active (running away, revolting)

Hope and resilience, often found through religion, music, and community

A desire for freedom, expressed through escape attempts and uprisings

Enslaved people were not passive victims—they were fully aware of their oppression and constantly sought ways to survive, resist, and assert their humanity despite horrific conditions.