Slavery by Another Name

The film “Slavery by Another Name” had different interesting elements to it. The film talks about how even after the Emancipation Proclamation and all slaves were freed from slavery, they were not actually free. One way that slavery continued for black citizens was the use of jails and being arrested. There became stricter laws and regulations that made it easier for someone to be prosecuted. For example, it was made illegal for a farmer to be walking alongside rail road tracks. Also, once slaves were freed from slavery, the amount of white citizens in jails went down. There was only about 10% of whites in jail, when it is known that whites were still committing crimes. When African Americans are arrested for minor crimes that have been made felonies, they still end up locked up and chained up like when they were slaves. This new system was known as convict leasing. It was figured out that prisoners can be used to make a profit. These prisoners were being worked as laborers in mines and factories. The freed slaves, now prisoners were still being put to extreme labor work like when they had been enslaved.