Slavery in America

I learned many new things about slavery in America while reading "Afro-American Housing in Virginia's Landscape of Slavery". I did not realize that there was a common custom of "allowing slaves ground of their own". I have always been taught that the slaves of early America lived in absolutely horrible conditions, that they were not allowed any privileges and were forced to work until death. Obviously, the living conditions of the slaves were not desirable, but apparently poor white men were also forced to live in  comparable circumstances. Furthermore, this article suggests that prominent slaveowners encouraged their slaves to develop a culture of their own by giving them their own land to work and gardens to keep. The slave dwellings were built in the same place, surrounding the slave gardens and land. I do not approve of slavery by any means, but think that perhaps the average conditions in which early slaves lived are exaggerated just a little.