The enslavement of African Americans played a prominent role in the University’s history before the outbreak of the Civil War. The violence and marginalization of enslaved persons is evidenced by the spaces they must occupy. Given the lack of basic human rights for enslaved persons and the undisciplined nature of young, privileged male students, violence and sexual exploitation were frequent occurrences. Chattel slavery at the University manifested such that abuse against enslaved persons was recorded solely as an injury to property, not a violation of human rights. Transactions and lawsuit records found in old courthouse records bear witness to the horrid conditions suffered by slaves at The University of Alabama.