How motherhood affected enslaved and free peoples at Somerset was different for each enslaved woman because of the dehumanizing institution of white American chattel slavery. Motherhood was a way for enslaved women to experience unconditional love and affection from their children, even though many were fearful their children would be taken away and sold.

Enslaved mothers who had cared for multiple generations of children, such as Suckey Davis, were highly respected in the enslaved community.

Enslaved mothers also were forced to prepare their young children for the free labor that their enslaver Collins forced them to do. Grace Bennett’s enslaved daughter was assigned to be an apprentice to her mother, who was an enslaved cook for the Collins household.
The Collins family as was usual for all slavers, held total control over motherhood within the enslaved community.

For instance, enslaved mothers lived every day with the constant threat of the Collins’ selling their children. Because of this, enslaved women at Somerset had complex feelings toward motherhood.

Parts of the narrative source: Somerset Historic Site