Celia, a Slave Essay - 1075 Words

Celia, a Slave is the epitome of the relationship between slaves and their owners and also the slaves and other whites in the 1850’s. This is based on her interactions with her owner Robert Newsom and her reactions mainly with the community involved in her court case. These relationships affected more so the women slaves rather than the men slaves because of their weaker nature as perceived by the sexual differences of the time period between men and women in general. Slavery is questioned by the morals of the Northerners and some Southerners though it is common in the South so most Southerners reinforce the ideas of slavery with their own morals, believing slaves as meaningless because of their difference. Celia was bought by Robert†¦show more content†¦Though her story was that of defense from her master: she had acted alone, struck her master to stop his advances, and had not intentionally killed him, Missouri’s pre-Civil War court system was unable to prote ct her claims because she was a slave and they were unwilling to change their beliefs about slaves and how they should be viewed and treated in society. (as proved previously in the case Dred Scott vs. Sandford.) These were the most frequent reactions of the Southerners; however a man named John Jameson took her side and defended her and her actions toward Robert Newsom as acts of defense against his advances, and claimed she had the right, by law, to use deadly force to protect herself against rape, regardless of her previous sexual relations with him. Though, because of the southerners’ hate of the slaves and their desire to treat them as inferiors, they did not deliver the evidence necessary to acquit her for her â€Å"crime.† Having lost the trial, Celia’s attorneys filed a motion to request a new trial on October 11th. However, Judge Hall denied the motion on October 13th and Celia was sentenced to be hung on November 16th. She was given this time before be ing executed to birth her child, as law stated that pregnant women could not be executed. This shows that there is a bit of equality between women when dealing with court systems at this time,Show MoreRelatedCelia, A Slave And The Slave1137 Words   |  5 PagesCelia, a Slave We have been reading a novel called Celia, A Slave. Celia, A Slave was written by a man named Melton A. McLaurin. The book was published in 1991 by the University of Georgia Press. This book that I have consists of one hundred and fourth three pages. In the novel Celia, A Slave, Melton A. McLaurin composes, in great detail, the tragic and true story of a slave named Celia who killed her master and then disposed of him by burning his body in her cabin on June 23, 1855. This was saidRead MoreSummary Of Celia A Slave1416 Words   |  6 PagesCelia, a Slave was a factual interpretation of one isolated incident that depicted common slave fear during the antebellum period of the United States. Melton A. McLaurin, the author, used this account of a young slave woman s struggle through the undeserved hardships of rape and injustice to explain to today s naive society a better depiction of what slavery could have been like. The story of Celia illustrates the root of racial problems Americans still face in their society. Although not nearlyRead MoreThe Trial Of Celia, A Slave1749 Words   |  7 PagesThe trial of Celia, a slave, is a murder case arising out of Calloway County, Missouri wherein Celia (the defendant) 19 years of age, ki lled Robert Newsom her (slave master). Celia was later charged with first degree murder and was sentenced to be hung by William Hall (the judge) for her allegedly criminal intent actions. Upon reading several different articles and a book of this case, I came across every iota I needed to briefly summarize the facts that which led me to believe that Celia was rightlyRead MoreEssay On Celia A Slave1102 Words   |  5 PagesCelia, A Slave was written by a man named Melton A. McLaurin in 1999. Melton has written many books about his lifelong interests of racism. In fact he even received the Lillian Smith award for his book Separate Pasts: Growing Up in the Segregated South and a notable book selection award from the New York Times for Celia, A Slave. Melton says â€Å"The case of Celia A slave reminds us that the personal and the political are never totally separate entities† (xiv). Celia, A Slave is about fourteen year oldRead MoreEssay On Celia A Slave868 Words   |  4 Pag esIn the book Celia, A Slave by Melton A. McLaurin, a slave woman all alone has to cope with a master who is always making her have sex with him. Newson, the master, fathered two children with her. When Celia kills her master, the man she loved turned against her, and she went on trial for Newson’s murder. The author Melton A. McLaurin tells the reader about the lives of the men and women of the nineteen century and about the life and death of a slave named Celia. He wants the reader to understandRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Celia A Slave 1396 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States History I Dr. Heckel 11/23/15 Celia A Slave The book â€Å"Celia A Slave† starts off with mainly a young black girl named Celia. She get sold in a slave auction to a man named Robert Newsom. This man continually rapes Celia who gets pregnant with his child and gives birth to the child. The sad part is that the child she just had would grow up to be her father’s property later in her life. Then it changes when one day Mr. Newsom attempted to rape Celia again when she accidentally killed himRead MoreCelia, A Slave By Melton Mclaurin1433 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Celia, A Slave† written by Melton McLaurin paints a full story of an African slave named Celia in the period of 1850s. She was bought by Robert Newsom, her white master, to serve his sexual relationship. She was put into trial after killing her master in an attempt to stop him from sexual advance and then burned his body in the fireplace. This incident appalled residents in Callaway County and Missouri in a historical period when the neighboring Kansas Territory deeply involved into a furious disputeRead MoreCelia, A Slave : A True Story1045 Words   |  5 PagesPhilip Chapman HTY 141 0001 December 10, 2014 Celia, A Slave: A True Story By: Melton A. McLaurin Published by: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999 The book Celia, A Slave is the factual story about a girl that takes place in Calloway County Missouri. Celia was brought to court for the murder of her master and disposing of his body in her fireplace. The author, Melton McLaurin, describes in graphic detail her sexual abuse from her master, Robert Newsome, and events leading up to her court appearanceRead MoreCelia, A Slave, By Melton Mclaurin986 Words   |  4 Pagesand the South. Slave owners of this time would dehumanize people of color and claim them as personal property. The book, Celia, A Slave, by Melton McLaurin, follows the life of a fourteen-year-old slave named Celia who was viscously raped for several years by her master, Robert Newsom. After the death of his wife, Newsom searched for a slave that could fulfill his sexual needs although he knew that Missouri was going through several debates regarding the issue of slavery. Celia had feelings forRead MoreSlavery And Politics : Celia, A Slave1091 Words   |  5 Page sSlavery and Politics Celia, a Slave was a truthful elucidation of one disengaged episode that delineated basic slave dread amid the prior to the war time of the United States. Melton A. McLaurin, utilized this record of a youthful slave lady s battle through the undeserved hardships of assault and unfairness to disclose to today s guileless society a superior delineation of what servitude could have been similar to. The tale of Celia delineates the base of racial issues Americans still face in