Many within the African-American community continue to talk about a phenomenon called “the slave mentality.” It’s a very controversial topic that’s discussed during African-American forums, in  African-American media outlets and at just about any gathering where the attendees are all African-American.

…The most qualified people to define the term are people who were former slaves themselves—Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

Both Douglass and Tubman escaped slavery and spent their lives helping others do the same. As outstanding members of the Abolitionist Movement, they contended with the slave mentality on a regular basis. And they walked among those that had this mindset. As far as concerned, that makes Douglass and Tubman leading authorities on the subject.

Frederick Douglass documents his experience with other slaves in his autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.” And among the many things he says, we find this statement:

“I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and as far as possible, to annihilate his power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right….”

Harriet Tubman, who led many slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad, said this about the slave mentality;

“I freed a thousand slaves. I would’ve freed a thousand more, if they only knew they were slaves.”

Based on Douglass and Tubman’s experience, we can define the slave mentality as follows:

A person conditioned to quietly and without objection, accept harmful circumstances for themselves as the natural order of things. They’re also conditioned to accept their master’s view and beliefs about themselves and strive to get others within their group to accept the master’s view. 

This definition summarizes a slave’s way of thinking; which continues to thrive in African-Americans, more so clearly seen in southerners today due to their heavy attachment to their indoctrinate belief, strong will in protecting it for it was all they had or thought so and the fear of letting go. author- a dash of unknown and a drizzle of me xo~ seven GOD speed