Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin depicts several characters as religious figures and the protagonist Uncle Tom is one of those figure heads. He not only becomes a Christlike figure, but he takes on the role of preacher at the plantations he works on, spreading the word of the bible. Historical evidence shows that religion did play a role in keeping African Americans submissive to white slave owners and that it was used as such. A newspaper article likely written from the white perspective shows that religious education was a responsibility of the slave owner and would serve to make slaves better, encouraging the perspective that religion would keep the African Americans passive in their roles. Another article that seems to be written by an unnamed author, but likely black writer suggests the same passive nature towards abolition. It reflects on the desire for freedom but suggests that it will only occur when God wills it as such.
Stowe does not directly claim that slaves were kept passive by teaching them about the word of God, but Uncle Tom’s presence and preaching does show that slaves taught the word of the bible were kept passive with the hope of finding freedom in heaven. Stowe accurately depicts that many slave owners did find it to be their responsibility to educate their slaves and this was a widespread mindset. “No rational mind can doubt that the effect [of educating slaves] must be equally favorable to the interests of the master, as to those of his now ignorant and degraded bondman” (Mere). This newspaper article poses religious education as a tool to be used and presents it as mutually beneficial for both parties. One can assume that the writer, who early in the article uses the phrase, “We have letters before us from Virginia” is written by a white author based on the authority they take by using “we” and continuing to discuss the religious education of the slaves. However, it still uses language that implies this religious education serves better for the masters than the slaves, stroking the egos of white slave owners. The description of the slaves is negative with words like “ignorant and degraded” suggesting that slave owners were being kind and benevolent by educating the slaves on their plantation. Thus, by using language that further separates the slaves from the white plantation owners, it paints the slave owners as kind and applies the twisted paternal concept of slavery to the situation, making it the responsibility of owners to educate the slaves and raise them from their “degraded” position in life, while still keeping them submissive through the promise of freedom in the afterlife for living religiously and passively and never acting out of violence or disrespect.
Similarly, another source from Colored American demonstrates that even free colored people felt that abolition was only capable through God, once again demonstrating that the religion that whites imposed on African Americans led to a passive acceptance of oppression. While the article suggests that they believe God will not stand for slavery to continue, the overarching argument is that God’s will is the only thing that will change the system of slavery. “We have no right to wish for the abolition of slavery, nor hope for the elevation of the free population of our brethren, if it be contrary to will and purposes of God” (Colored American). Based on the publication title and the unified language of “our brethren,” it is safe to assume that this writer is colored as well and likely free. This newspaper article also demonstrates the same passivity that Stowe implicitly writes into her novel, that many African Americans act as Uncle Tom and do not rebel against the system of slavery in the name of religion. This concept seems to be a pattern of thought, that God wills it so and as such the white men have a responsibility to education blacks and blacks have a responsibility to respect the world as God created it, thus instilling this passive acceptance of slavery in many people. While abolitionists existed that actively fought against slavery, Stowe seems to accurately also capture that religion played a role in keeping slaves passive in the system of slavery.
Historical sources show that on the parts of whites and blacks, religion was used to keep slavery intact. Whites felt that part of their role was to educate the slaves in religion, presenting to them the word of God and as such also instilling the idea that heaven will provide them with the freedom they desire and the salvation that keeps them at peace. This teaching then inspires the freed slaves to also pursue this path of peace and acceptance of slavery because it is taught to them that it is God’s will. Thus, while active abolitionists existed at the time, Harriet Beecher Stowe accurately presented the truth that many slaves were kept passive in slavery like Uncle Tom by the use of slavery to instill just enough hope into the slaves to keep them from revolting.
Works Cited
Mere. Journal. “Instruction of the Slaves.” New-York Spectator [New York, New York] 5 Aug.
1833: n.p. 19th Century U.S. Newspapers. Web. 24 Oct. 2019.
“Religion.” Colored American, 16 Dec. 1837,
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