How Did Enslaved People Navigate the Tension Between Accommodation and Resistance in Their Daily Lives? What Strategies Did They Employ to Maintain Dignity and Autonomy?

By: Martin Munyao Muinde
Email: ephantusmartin@gmail.com

Introduction

The lived experiences of enslaved people in the United States were marked by a constant negotiation between accommodation and resistance. This tension emerged from the oppressive nature of slavery, which sought to strip individuals of their autonomy, identity, and humanity, and the enduring human desire to assert agency and preserve dignity. Slavery, particularly in the antebellum South, was not only an economic system but also a deeply entrenched social order that perpetuated racial inequality and relied on the coercive control of enslaved laborers (Berlin, 2003). Enslaved people were forced to navigate an environment where overt resistance could lead to severe punishment, yet complete submission threatened the erosion of self-worth and cultural identity. Within this framework, strategies of both accommodation and resistance developed, often interwoven in subtle ways that reflected the complexities of survival under bondage.

Understanding how enslaved people balanced these dual imperatives provides critical insight into the dynamics of power, resistance, and cultural preservation. Enslaved individuals employed diverse tactics—from outward compliance with enslavers’ demands to covert acts of rebellion—that not only sustained their physical survival but also reinforced their personal and collective sense of humanity. These strategies reveal that even within one of history’s most oppressive systems, enslaved people continuously negotiated ways to resist dehumanization, maintain community bonds, and assert control over aspects of their daily lives.

The Complex Balance Between Accommodation and Resistance

Accommodation as a Strategy for Survival

Accommodation in the context of slavery did not imply full acceptance of the system but rather represented a calculated choice to avoid direct confrontation while preserving one’s ability to resist in other ways. For many enslaved people, overt rebellion posed significant risks, as slaveholders maintained strict surveillance and enforced discipline through violence, legal coercion, and social isolation (Genovese, 1974). Consequently, acts of accommodation—such as fulfilling daily labor expectations, refraining from open defiance, and adopting forms of deferential behavior—were often pragmatic decisions designed to prevent punishment and maintain access to limited resources.

These accommodations could serve as protective strategies, enabling enslaved individuals to preserve their health, protect their families, and plan for more subtle acts of defiance. For example, some enslaved workers used the perception of loyalty or obedience to gain trust from their enslavers, which occasionally provided them with greater mobility, reduced oversight, or opportunities to secure additional provisions. In this way, accommodation was not merely passive submission but could serve as a tactical cover for more meaningful forms of autonomy.

Resistance as an Assertion of Autonomy

Resistance, in contrast, was a direct or indirect challenge to the authority of slaveholders and the institution of slavery. This resistance took numerous forms, ranging from armed uprisings and escape attempts to covert acts like work slowdowns, sabotage, and the preservation of African-derived cultural practices (Franklin & Schweninger, 1999). While large-scale revolts such as those led by Nat Turner or Denmark Vesey captured historical attention, the majority of resistance occurred on a smaller, more frequent scale within the daily lives of enslaved individuals.

Importantly, these acts of resistance often operated in the same spaces where accommodation appeared to exist. For example, an enslaved person might outwardly comply with work orders while secretly feigning illness to reduce productivity or deliberately damaging tools to disrupt plantation operations. Such actions allowed enslaved individuals to challenge the economic basis of slavery without exposing themselves to immediate retaliation. Resistance in this context was both a survival mechanism and an assertion of personal agency, affirming that enslaved people refused to accept complete domination.

Strategies for Maintaining Dignity and Autonomy

Cultural Retention and Identity Preservation

One of the most enduring strategies enslaved people employed to maintain dignity was the preservation and adaptation of cultural traditions. These practices often drew upon African heritage while incorporating elements from the American environment to create a unique African American cultural identity (Holloway, 1990). Music, storytelling, spirituals, religious rituals, and culinary traditions served as vital means of resisting cultural erasure.

Religious gatherings, particularly those organized without the supervision of enslavers, became critical spaces for affirming community bonds and envisioning liberation. Spirituals often carried double meanings, functioning as both expressions of Christian faith and coded messages about escape or resistance (Raboteau, 2004). In these spaces, enslaved individuals could reaffirm their humanity, maintain cultural memory, and pass on values that rejected the legitimacy of slavery. Cultural preservation thus served as a form of resistance that sustained dignity even when physical autonomy was severely restricted.

Family Networks and Community Solidarity

Family ties and community networks were also central to enslaved people’s strategies for maintaining autonomy. Despite the constant threat of family separation through sale, enslaved individuals formed strong kinship bonds, often extending beyond biological relatives to encompass fictive kin relationships. These networks provided emotional support, facilitated the sharing of resources, and reinforced collective resistance to the dehumanizing effects of slavery (Gutman, 1976).

Enslaved parents used stories, songs, and informal education to instill values of resilience, hope, and defiance in their children. Community members often collaborated to protect vulnerable individuals, care for the sick, and assist those seeking to escape. By nurturing these social bonds, enslaved people cultivated a shared sense of belonging that helped mitigate the isolating effects of enslavement and provided a foundation for both covert and overt resistance efforts.

Everyday Acts of Resistance

Economic and Labor-Based Resistance

One of the most common arenas for resistance was labor itself, as enslaved people sought to disrupt the economic foundation of slavery. Acts such as slowing work, breaking tools, feigning illness, and manipulating work output allowed individuals to assert some control over their labor while undermining the profitability of the plantation system (Fogel & Engerman, 1974). These acts were often difficult for overseers to detect or prove, making them an effective form of resistance that carried less immediate risk than open rebellion.

In some cases, enslaved artisans or skilled laborers used their specialized abilities to negotiate better working conditions, earn personal income, or secure privileges. These negotiations—though occurring within the oppressive framework of slavery—enabled individuals to carve out pockets of autonomy and improve their material circumstances. Such labor-based resistance illustrates the complex ways in which enslaved people balanced survival with the desire to challenge their exploitation.

Escape and the Quest for Freedom

Escape represented the most direct form of resistance, offering the possibility of complete liberation from slavery. While the dangers were immense—ranging from physical injury to recapture and severe punishment—many enslaved people attempted to flee, either permanently or temporarily. Some sought refuge with free Black communities, sympathetic whites, or Native American groups, while others used temporary absences, known as truancy, to reunite with family or negotiate better conditions upon return (Blight, 2018).

The Underground Railroad, a network of abolitionists, safe houses, and secret routes, provided critical assistance to fugitives. Even when unsuccessful, escape attempts disrupted the authority of slaveholders, exposed vulnerabilities in the system, and reinforced the broader struggle for emancipation. The act of fleeing, whether for days or permanently, was a powerful assertion of autonomy and a rejection of the legitimacy of bondage.

Conclusion

Enslaved people in the United States navigated the constant tension between accommodation and resistance with remarkable resilience, ingenuity, and determination. Accommodation, while outwardly appearing to reinforce the institution of slavery, often functioned as a strategic shield that allowed enslaved individuals to preserve their strength, protect their families, and create opportunities for more covert resistance. Resistance, in its many forms, served as an essential expression of autonomy, rejecting the totalizing control of slaveholders and affirming the humanity of the enslaved.

By preserving cultural traditions, sustaining family and community networks, engaging in economic disruption, and seizing opportunities for escape, enslaved people demonstrated an unwavering commitment to dignity in the face of systemic oppression. Their strategies reveal that even in the most constrained circumstances, the human spirit seeks freedom, self-determination, and respect. The legacy of these acts of accommodation and resistance underscores the complexity of enslaved people’s daily lives and their central role in shaping the history of resistance to slavery.

References

Berlin, I. (2003). Generations of Captivity: A History of African-American Slaves. Harvard University Press.
Blight, D. W. (2018). Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom. Simon & Schuster.
Fogel, R. W., & Engerman, S. L. (1974). Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery. Little, Brown & Company.
Franklin, J. H., & Schweninger, L. (1999). Runaway Slaves: Rebels on the Plantation. Oxford University Press.
Genovese, E. D. (1974). Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made. Vintage Books.
Gutman, H. G. (1976). The Black Family in Slavery and Freedom, 1750–1925. Pantheon Books.
Holloway, J. E. (1990). Africanisms in American Culture. Indiana University Press.
Raboteau, A. J. (2004). Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. Oxford University Press.