Women in Chains: The Legacy of Slavery in Black Women's Fiction (S U N Y Series in Afro-American Studies) PDF
Preview Women in Chains: The Legacy of Slavery in Black Women's Fiction (S U N Y Series in Afro-American Studies)
WOMEN IN CHAINS SUNY series in Afro-American Studies John R. Howard and Robert C. Smith, editors WOMEN IN CHAINS The Legacy of Slavery in Black Women’s Fiction Venetria K. Patton STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS Cover artwork by Regina C. Jeanpierre. Production by Ruth Fisher Marketing by Fran Keneston Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2000 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address the State University of New York Press, State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Patton, Venetria K., 1968– Women in chains : the legacy of slavery in Black women’s fiction / Venetria K. Patton. p. cm. — (SUNY series in Afro-American studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-4343-4 (hc : alk. paper). — ISBN 0-7914-4344-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. American fiction—Afro-American authors—History and criticism. 2. Women and literature—United States—History—20th century. 3. American fiction—Women authors—History and criticism. 4. Afro-American families in literature. 5. Afro-American women in literature. 6. Mother and child in literature. 7. Afro-Americans in literature 8. Motherhood in literature. 9. Slavery in literature. I. Title. II. Series. PS374.N4P38 1999 813’.5099287’08996073—dc21 99-14973 CIP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is dedicated to my mother, Hildegarde J. Patton and in memory of my father, Frederick J. Patton This page intentionally left blank. Contents Acknowledgments • ix Introduction • xi 1. The Breeding Ground: The Degendering of Female Slaves • 1 2. The Cult of True Womanhood and Its Revisions • 29 3. Reclaiming True Womanhood • 53 4. Tragic Mulattas: Inventing Black Womanhood • 93 5. The Haunting Effects of Slavery • 121 Conclusion • 149 Notes • 151 Bibliography • 175 Index • 187 vii This page intentionally left blank. Acknowledgments I would like to thank those who provided financial, intellectual, and emotional support for this project. A large portion of this manuscript was completed during my residency at the University of California Humanities Research Institute (HRI). The time and resources provided by HRI in coordination with the Western Inter- state Commission for Higher Education greatly enhanced my produc- tivity. Through the various stages and drafts of this manuscript I have received insightful comments and suggestions from Wheeler Dixon, Emory Elliott, Jennifer Brody, Moira Ferguson, Sherry Harris, Paulette Brown-Hinds, Katherine Kinney, Kimberly Nettles, Kathy Patterson, Walter Rucker, and Carole-Anne Tyler. My research assis- tant, Sarah Fisher, provided invaluable assistance with all the nitty gritty aspects of the production of this manuscript. I would also like to thank my mother, Hildegarde J. Patton, and my late husband, Rogers Druhet, for their tremendous emotional support. ix
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