What work did woman slaves do?

Answer 1

There were two basic categories of slaves - field and house. Field slaves did whatever outside work needed doing but primarily worked with crops - planting, weeding, gathering, drying, etc. Men women and children all did these jobs. In the days of share cropping, this continued. I remember seeing families picking cotton when I was a child. They looked exactly like the pictures of slaves I'd seen. On a large plantation you might also have field slaves doing domestic duties - preparing food for the others or caring for the children.

House slaves did laundry, kitchen duties, maid duties, and child care.

That is the most common scenario, but it really depended on what skills an individual had. Some women were expert dressmakers or nurses. I've read accounts of slaveholders who trusted only one of their slaves to doctor them. A slave with a notable skill could, with his/her owner, set up a shop and run a lucrative business - with the holder keeping varying amounts of the money earned.

There was a lot more individuality in terms of how slaveholders viewed and treated slaves, than most books indicate. It varied about as much as pet owners do today - with some totally neglecting the care and well being or even physically abusing their slaves, and others regarding them fondly, and with some degree of respect. Obviously jobs assigned to slaves varied by how they were regarded and treated in general.

Whether one became a field hand or worked in the house depended on two things - temperament and looks. Those who were more compliant and good natured were rewarded with better jobs, but they were also more likely to become the object of the slave owner's desire. OTOH, the least compliant might find themselves in the same position, especially by overseer's who were often taken from the bottom rung of society ( regarded BELOW slaves). This class eventually became the KKK.

One of the best books on the subject is Slave Days, which is oral histories taking down in the late 1800 from former slaves.

To learn about a (male) slave who is known to have been a respected member of the community, read Carolina Clay by Leonard Todd. Mr Todd is descended from some of his subject's owners, but his story is accurate and unbiased. I know his subject well. The slave, known as Dave, was literate and left many clues about his life.