Slavery, Freedom and the Law in the Atlantic World: A Brief History with Documents

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During the era of revolution, independence, and emancipation in the north Atlantic, 'slavery' and 'freedom' were fluid and contested concepts. Individuals and groups turned to courts of law to define and enforce the status of indigenous Americans, forcibly imported Africans, and colonizing Europeans - and their progeny. In this collection of documents from the French, British, Spanish, and Portuguese empires, Peabody and Grinberg introduce the voices of slaves, slave-holders, jurists, legislators, and others who struggled to critique, overturn, justify, or simply describe the social order in which they found themselves.

Reviews

"Among the volume's strengths, apart from its sweeping geographical, cultural, and chronological scope, is its emphasis on slavery as a system of negotiation involving a complex process of bargaining and accommodation. In line with the most recent scholarship, the authors do a very effective job of portraying the enslaved as actors, rather than simply as passive victims, without minimizing the importance of their allies in the struggle against slavery. The authors also do a very effective job of discussing the intricate connections between slavery and the evolution of racial attitudes. ... This is a serious work of scholarship that is clearly written."--Steven Mintz, University of Houston
"The authors do a first-rate job in carrying out [their] ambitious agenda. In almost every case, they have selected the essential legal documents regarding the establishment of, challenges to, and eventual destruction of Atlantic slavery. Their editing and interpretation of the documents is exemplary, reflecting a firm grasp of the complexities of the subject, and a thorough knowledge of an extensive historical literature. What ismore, their authorial style and pace should be inviting to student readers. ... In short, this is a well-crafted book that will engage readers in learning more about the people and forces that shaped Atlantic slave societies."--T. Stephen Whitman, Mount St. Mary's University

Author Bio

SUE PEABODY is Professor of History, Washington State University, Vancouver, Canada. KEILA GRINBERG is Associate Professor or History Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, and Director of the History Department, Universidade Candido Mendes, Brazil.