The greatest threat to a slave family's stability was the constant possibility of being sold and separated. Slave owners had the legal right to buy, sell, and trade slaves as property, and families could be torn apart at any time. Slave auctions were a common occurrence, and family members could end up being sold to different plantations or even to different regions. This constant fear of separation created immense psychological distress and emotional trauma for slave families, making it extremely difficult for them to maintain stability and a sense of normalcy.
