Question

What is this quote mean in your own word? "It was considered as being bad enough to be a slave; but to be a poor man's slave was deemed a disgrace indeed!"

Answer 1

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgenius.com%2F3414854%2FFrederick-douglass-narrative-of-the-life-of-frederick-douglass-an-american-slave-chapter-3%2FIt-was-considered-as-being-bad-enough-to-be-a-slave-but-to-be-a-poor-mans-slave-was-deemed-a-disgrace-indeed&ei=UdGSVYzAMdLfggT7qq_QCA&usg=AFQjCNFRUXrL4N8FjtOO3bA4vwsgUDfZwg&sig2=DapcWYmF9rw6eSj3dAxYPQ&bvm=bv.96783405,d.eXY

Answer 2

It's more common to be a rich person's slave because they can afford it. You could say they'd take better care of their slaves since they had the money. If you were a slave and belonged to a person with no money, well...you could say things wouldn't be as tolerable.