In the middle of the nineteenth century, slavery had become a deeply divisive issue for Americans in all regions of the country. The tensions appeared differently based on the gendered identity of slaves. Historian Melton McLaurin highlights this divisiveness in Celia, A Slave: A True Story, in which one extraordinary woman temporarily became the center of this debate through her trial. McLaurin uses Celia’s story to raise larger issues about the meaning of slavery for both blacks and whites, and for women and men. Based on your reading of McLaurin’s biography, write an essay that explains why slavery was more contentious for women than it was for men. Your essay should address the multiple perspectives articulated in the community about Robert Newsom’s treatment of Celia.