Krug, Etienne G. et al., eds. Petrak, Jenny Hedge, Barbara, eds. The rape of a black lady, by any gentleman, was deemed lawful. In the United States, just before and all through the American Civil War when chattel slavery was common, the law centered principally on rape as it pertained to black gentlemen raping white women. The Israelite, Persian, Greek and Roman armies reportedly engaged in war rape.