Respuesta :

Slave owners did not want them communicating with each other. If they could write to each other, they could protest against their owners. Also, they knew how to read, they could read train schedules, and run away. Slaves were thought as property, not people. White people at that time thought they were not good enough to read and write. 
Because they would figure out that they were not treated equally as non slaves.
ACCESS MORE
EDU ACCESS