Gen Xers: Did your HS have a “freshman slave” auction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Class of 1989, Long Island, NY -- no way.

+1

[Anonymous]

I spend jr year of college at the LSE in London. 1989-1990. During Rag Week there was a 'Slave Auction.' Bunch of Middle Eastern boys 'bought' cute little blonde 20yo me.

[Anonymous]

WTF? NO!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I spend jr year of college at the LSE in London. 1989-1990. During Rag Week there was a 'Slave Auction.' Bunch of Middle Eastern boys 'bought' cute little blonde 20yo me.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Class of ‘92. Suburban Detroit. I think the classes behind us had to call it servant day instead of slave day.

We also dressed in black face for costumes. We had dress up as your favorite band day, and I was on the “Fat Boys.” I ended up being allergic to the makeup and scrubbed it off at school. Hives all over. Probably karma.

[Anonymous]

Class of 1999.

No - but we had a [Mr. High School Name] show / contest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gen X, California, absolutely not.

Same. Class of 93, from California. Never heard of this.

[Anonymous]

NO - Class of 1989 - small western MD high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting!! This makes me feel terrible all over again. I am AA and was in 9th grade in an all white school and my social studies teacher had us reenact slavery and guess who got to be the slave? They all looked at me and he told me to be the slave. I wish I could just disappear and stayed home from school from an "illness" the next two days trying to avoid that class. The teacher was a vet and a racist civil war enthusiast.

OMG. That is so messed up. When was this?

1996. Wheaton Warrenville South HS in Wheaton, IL. I have gotten over it now. Or maybe I did not as when I read this post, those feelings came back. I loved the town but it had some issues and the people there acted like they have NEVER seen a black person EVER!!

[Anonymous]

Yes -- the band did this and bought freshmen "slaves" for one week of summer band camp. Rich suburban Dallas high school class of '87. I was a new, shy, introvert and didn't know anyone; I was certainly not cool. I remember the popular and beautiful crowd fetching big bucks, and I remember the shame standing there with a fellow dweeb sold for $5 together.
Horrified then, horrified 40 years later.
So glad to have moved from Texas.

[Anonymous]

Not high school, but middle school (1972--1975). Raised money for the student council.

Their were two auctions. First, girls would sign up, volunteering to be sold as slaves. Only boys could bid on them.

All boys who won a bid--and maybe anyone who made a bid--were then REQUIERED to allow themselves to be auctioned off to the girls.

I don't think the girls who could "buy" a guy were limited to girls who had been a slave, but maybe. I did not participate.

Slaves could be ordered to carry the owner's books, sing praises to the owner's name, or do embarrassing things (not of a sexual nature).

Slaves were "on duty" during class breaks and lunch, and I believe before and after school, at school, providing it didn't make them be late for class or miss the buss.

[Anonymous]

Central Virginia (Henrico County). Class of 96. I've never heard of such a thing. Truly disgusting.

[Anonymous]

My Catholic HS in the deep south didn't have this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:South Carolina 1998. Even we weren't that stupid.

We were in SC in 1995 - senior slave auction. Terrible.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we did it at our private school in VA as part of field day in the 80's. I followed my owner around briefly and that was it.