S8 Ep1086: Daniel Rood, author of In the Shadow of the Great House, argues that the modern link between race and slavery was a conscious cre

The John Batchelor Show · Jul 4, 2026 · 6m

Daniel Rood, author of In the Shadow of the Great House, argues that the modern link between race and slavery was a conscious creation by planters to secure a lifelong, reproductive workforce. Philosopher John Locke codified this in Carolina's founding documents, granting freemen absolute authority over black slaves regardless of their religion. This prevented enslaved people from using Christian conversion as a path to freedom. This "fictional" racial category was reinforced by early slave codes in Virginia to ensure the perpetual growth of plantation profits. (10)1738