Race and Identity

Ellen's near-white appearance and the inclusion of cases like Salome Muller's challenge the notion that slavery is based solely on race, revealing how identity and freedom are manipulated by a system that disregards color when profitable.

Ellen's near-white appearance allows her to pass as a white man; the story of Salome Muller shows that white individuals could also be enslaved.

The endnotes highlight the legal and social construction of racial identity through marriage laws and naming practices.