African Slavery in Latin America and the Caribbean

by Herbert S. Klein

A leading authority on Latin American slavery has produced a major and original work on the subject. Covering not only Spanish but also Portuguese and French regions, and encompassing the latest research on the plantation system as well as on mining and the urban experience, the book brings
together the recent findings on demography, the slave trade, the construction of the slave community and Afro-American culture. The book also sheds new light on the processes of accomodation and rebellion and the experience of emancipation. Klein first traces the evolution of slavery and forced
labor systems in Europe, Africa, and America, and then depicts the life and culture which some twelve million slaves transported from Africa over five centuries experiences in the Latin American and Caribbean regions. Particular emphasis is on the evolution of the sugar plantation economy, the
single largest user of African slave labor. The book examines attempts of the African and American-born slaves to create a viable and autonomous culture, including their adaption of European languages, religions, and even kinship systems to their own needs. Klein also describes the type and
intensity of slave rebellions. Finally the book considers the important and differing role of the "free colored" under slavery, noting the unique situation of the Brazilian free colored as well as the unusual mobility of the free colored in the French West Indies. The book concludes with a look at
the post-emancipation integration patterns in the different societies, analyzing the relative success of the ex-slaves in obtaining control over land and escaping from the old plantation regimes.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

325 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Roselyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book for a class at Columbia called “Slavery and Freedom in Latin America.” Found it very insightful as an overview into the topic but one which definitely needs to be supplemented with other readings. We read this book to begin the semester and in attempt to grapple with the question of our first paper: whether these regions should be considered “slave societies” where slavery was the central mode of economic production and the enslaver-enslaved relationship was the dominant social model, or “societies with slaves” where slavery was one of many modes of economic production and other kinds of social relationships existed alongside it. The book offers an abundance of evidence for both arguments.

I really learned a lot about slavery and freedom in LATAM and African countries that I had no idea about before. And a lot of it starting way before the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade of the 16th century. I recommend this as a starting resource for anyone interested in learning more about this important subject. There are chapters dedicated to particular regions such as Cuba and Brazil, Jamaica, Mexico, and more.

[Andres Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The history of slavery in Latin America has been very much part of the history of European colonization and the development of American commodities for the European market.”

Anyone who’s read “Open Veins of Latin America” by Eduardo Galeano should read this next. The subtitle of this book could’ve easily been: “How Europe Underdeveloped Latin America.”

This book traces the history of slave labor in mining, sugar, coffee, tobacco, cacao, and cotton, from 16th century to 19th century Latin America & the Caribbean. It also covers resistance and rebellions, family structure, religion, and the abolition of slavery in all of the Americas.

If cotton was king in the U.S., then sugar was queen in Cuba, and coffee was god in Brazil. These commodities fueled European consumption and due to diseases wiping out indigenous folks in the Americas, the settlers imported slaves from Africa to help build Latin America and export these commodities back to Europe.

The Spanish brought African slaves to Colonial Mexico and Peru, then the Portuguese brought them to Brazil, and the Dutch, French, and British brought them to the West Indies.

There is so much to unpack in Latin America and this book gives a thorough layout of one aspect.

[Salvatore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick look at the beginnings and endings of slavery in Latin America and parts of South America. It had some eye opening moments. Not all slave societies were the same. The differences depended on the expected outcome of the colonists.

[Andres Cordoba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite liked this book, as it provided a remarkably detailed account of slavery's development in multiple regions, it's complications and the consequences it had on numerous populations. Quite a few chapters were very enlightening and changed my view of the region and the many ways labor systems developed in the period and human resilience to extreme conditions. A fascinating yet factually grounded read.

[Windy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most difficult and informative history class I took in college was centered on slavery in Latin America. I've always been interested in the history of South America, and even though much of the course material wouldn't really help me if I ever taught a standard high school history course, this book was pretty informative, although it's almost as old as I am.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose is dry, but direct and appropriately sparse. As an introduction to the subject I can't think of a better book.