Who Were Slave Drivers?

4. On large plantations, the person who directed the daily work of the slaves was the overseer, usually a white man but occasionally an enslaved black man—a "driver"—promoted to the position by his master.

What is a slave master called?

Slave Master, Slave Owner. “Slaveholder” best describes the non-regional character of North American Slavery. Too often, “slaveholder” is used synonymously with the term “Southerner.” Certainly, slavery was widespread throughout the American South, more so than any other part of the United States.

What did plantation overseers do?

Overseers is a term referring to employees of plantation owners before 1865 who served as general managers of routine farming operations. They sometimes were former indentured servants themselves, liberated and in search of a better life.