Wealth through Oppression: Women's Cunning in the South

In the mid-1800s South, laws stripped married women of their property rights, compelling them to surrender wealth to their husbands. However, there was an exception with slaves, allowing women to accumulate wealth through this method. Fathers aligned with this practice, gifting slaves to their daughters during significant life events to secure economic stability. Women utilized these slaves in various entrepreneurial endeavors, ranging from selling homemade goods to engaging in commercial exploitation. This allowed them to generate personal income and gain autonomy and status, creating a rare pathway to financial independence within a patriarchal society.