Source: https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/question/2005/november.htm
Drapetomania was a pseudoscientific and racist concept introduced in 1851 by Samuel A. Cartwright, a pro-slavery American physician. He claimed that the desire of enslaved Black people to escape bondage was a mental disorder rather than a natural response to oppression.
Cartwright’s theory was part of a broader effort to justify slavery and dehumanize Black people, portraying their resistance to enslavement as irrational rather than a fight for freedom and dignity. He argued that the supposed “disease” could be prevented by keeping enslaved individuals in a submissive state through physical punishment and forced obedience.
Drapetomania was never based on legitimate medical science but was instead an attempt to reinforce white supremacy and the institution of slavery. It reflects the lengths to which pro-slavery advocates went to pathologize Black resistance and maintain control over enslaved people.
This historical example highlights how scientific racism was used to justify systemic oppression, and it serves as a reminder of the deep-rooted injustices Black people have faced in America. Today, it stands as a disturbing example of how medical and scientific fields have been misused to uphold racist ideologies.
