Celia, a Slave: Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis

Controversy over slavery is a familiar theme in Missouri’s history. In the early 19th century, the territory was in the process of being admitted to the Union as a state, but there was a passionate debate over whether slavery should be legal there or not. Representatives in New York introduced a resolution accepting Missouri into the Union only if all slaves were freed by their twenty-fifth birthday, and all further slavery was banned. South Carolina responded with its own measure, proposing that slavery be permitted. Congressmen worked frantically to develop a compromise that would be acceptable both to Southern politicians, who generally endorsed slavery, and Northern politicians, some of whom opposed the expansion of slavery. In Missouri itself, the vast majority of landowners supported slavery.

In 1821, Missouri was admitted to the Union as a slave state, on the condition that Maine be admitted as a free state, and slavery be banned in all future territories north of Missouri. Southern politicians scored a huge victory: they created a process whereby slave states could be admitted into the Union, and pressured the federal government to give a slave state formal recognition.

By the 1840s, Callaway was one of the leading slave counties in the state. By 1850, slaves made up nearly half of the Callaway population. Farmers invested money in purchasing slaves—and Robert Newsom was no exception.

Of Robert’s five slaves, one is a young boy. It’s unclear why Robert purchases the child, but it’s possible that the boy is related to one of the other slaves he buys. He purchases Celia in a neighboring county. He doesn’t want Celia to help with fieldwork; rather, he wants a replacement for his dead wife. He wants someone who can cook and keep him company, and he wants a sexual partner, too.

At the time when Robert buys Celia, Missouri is engaged in another bitter debate over the expansion of slavery. Southerners, led by John C. Calhoun, support the expansion of slavery into the territory the U.S. has gained in the Mexican American War. This time, Missouri is divided on the issue: one of the state’s two senators, David R. Atchinson, supports the expansion while the other, Thomas Hart Benton, does not.

Robert Newsom buys Celia when she’s fourteen years old. As soon as he’s brought her back to his home, he rapes her. It’s clear enough that he feels no remorse for his act—he repeats it again and again, and he considers Celia his property. Robert’s behavior isn’t uncommon for male slave owners at the time, many of whom rape and abuse their female slaves.

Undoubtedly, Celia is devastated by Robert’s savage sexual acts. Modern research suggests that rape victims go through many different responses to their rape, including fear, anger, and a deep sense of helplessness. In Celia’s case, the sense of despair must be overpowering: unlike other unfortunate rape victims, Celia faces the terrifying fact that Robert will rape her again and again with impunity. Between 1850 and 1855, Celia gives birth to two children, both probably fathered by Robert.

Celia probably doesn’t have any friends. She lives with Virginia and Mary, but scholarship suggests that white women often expressed resentment toward black slaves, largely because of the “possibility of a relationship between a male in the household and a female slave.” Robert’s son, David Newsom, who’s just married, and lives nearby, may have hoped to rape Celia, too—again, it wasn’t uncommon for slave owners’ sons to rape their fathers’ slaves. However, Robert’s eldest son Harry conceivably may have objected to his father’s behavior. But no matter what he felt, it’s unlikely that Harry would have expressed his disapproval directly. Historians don’t know much about how Celia gets along with the other slaves on Robert’s property, but it is known that Robert rewards Celia with presents, something that quite probably alienates Celia from the other slaves, and makes them jealous of her.

In the years leading up to 1855, Celia begins a romantic relationship with another slave, George. Although Celia stays in a special cabin at night, George often sleeps with her in the cabin. At some point, George tells Celia that she has to break off her “affair” with Robert.

In the early months of 1855, Celia becomes pregnant with another child. However, she’s unsure whether the child is George’s or Robert’s. Therefore, George faces a challenge. He can confront Robert and tell him to stop raping Celia, who George seems to regard as his wife. But this could cost George his life. Instead, George angrily tells Celia to break off her relationship with Robert, or else he’ll never speak to her again.

Celia now faces her own challenge. She has no power whatsoever over Robert Newsom, and she has no contacts outside the farm. Whatever she does—even if she does nothing—she’ll be placing herself in jeopardy. Eventually, she decides to appeal to Robert’s family—most likely Virginia and Mary. She explains that she is pregnant and sick, and begs them to influence Robert to leave her alone. She even claims that she’ll be forced to hurt Robert if he keeps raping her.

It’s highly unlikely that either Newsom woman speaks to Robert—after all, they’re almost as dependent on Robert as Celia is. Most likely, they choose to do nothing, and rationalize their passivity by telling each other that Celia is really the source of the problem—a “dark, sensual temptress who seduced their father.” Robert continues raping Celia.

Some time shortly before June 23, 1855, Celia confronts Robert Newsom directly. She tells him that he must stop raping her, but doesn’t say that she’s in a relationship with George—instead, she tells Robert that she’s been sick because of her pregnancy, and doesn’t want to have sex. Robert brushes aside Celia’s plea, and informs her that he’ll continue having sex with her.

On the evening of June 23, 1855, the Newsom women retire to their bedrooms, wishing their father goodnight before they do. Around ten pm, Robert Newsom walks over to Celia’s cabin, where Celia is sleeping with her children. What happens next is unclear. Almost certainly, Robert tries to have sex with Celia. It’s likely that they exchange words of some kind. Following this, Celia attacks Robert with a stick. She beats Robert over the head, two times, since she’s afraid that if she hesitates, he’ll attack her. Robert crumples to the floor, dead.

Celia’s first reaction is probably to panic—she knows she’ll probably be hanged for killing Robert Newsom. But then, she decides on a plan: she’ll burn Robert’s body in her fireplace, destroying any evidence that she killed him. Over the course of the night, Celia burns Robert’s body, crushing his bones into tiny pieces. By dawn, Robert’s body is nothing but ashes.

The next morning, the Newsom family finds that Robert is missing. Celia notices Robert’s grandson, James Coffee Waynescot, and says she’ll give him a present if he carries the ashes out of her fireplace. This act, McLaurin says, clearly demonstrates the depths of Celia’s hatred for Robert.