Africans in the Americas: A History of the Black Diaspora - Softcover

Conniff, Michael L.; Davis, Thomas J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1930665687 ISBN 13: 9781930665682

Publisher: Blackburn Press, 2002

Synopsis

This book seeks to explore, in a single, short convenient text, the complex relationship between Africa and the Americas from the early sixteenth century through the end of the twentieth century. Beginning with a preview of the relations between Africa and Europe prior to 1500, the work covers chronologically the transatlantic slave trade, domestic slave trading, slave systems, the abolition movements, and the aftermath of emancipation throughout the Americas. Several chapters provide sweeping surveys of broad regions such as British North America, the Caribbean, Mesoamerica, the Andean countries and Latin America. Others deal with specific territories such as the United States, Venezuela, Cuba or Brazil. The book begins with a chapter on African antiquity and early contacts with Europe. It continues with a comparative history of the slave trade and emancipation. Other topics include the role of free blacks throughout the Americas, women and gender relations, and African-American relations with Europeans and Native American populations. Finally, the book concludes with chapters on modern race and economic relations in the Americas and a chapter on the continuing ties between African Americans and Africa. "On the whole Africans in the Americas accomplishes its purpose well, there is a great deal of fascinating information here. A very useful text." The International Journal of African Historical Studies 28, 633-65 (1995) Michael L. Conniff earned degrees at UC-Berkeley and Stanford (Ph.D. 1976) and has published a number of books on modern Latin American history, most recently A History of Modern Latin America (with Lawrence Clayton) and Populism in Latin America. Thomas J. Davis, Ph.D., J.D., teaches history and law at Arizona State University in Tempe, focusing on race and the law, civil rights, and U.S. constitutional and legal history. His most recent publications include "Race, Identity, and the Law: Underlying Questions in Plessy v. Ferguson," in Race on Trial: Law and Justice in American History (2002); "The Community of Africans in the Americas: Colonialism to CARICOM and TransAfrica" Research and Diversity Journal (2002) and "Conspiracy and Credibility," William and Mary Quarterly (2002). CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Patrick Carroll ▪ David Eltis ▪ Patience Essah ▪ Alfred Frederick ▪ Dale Graden ▪ Linda Heywood ▪ Richard Lobban ▪ Colin Palmer ▪ Joseph Reidy ▪ John Thornton ▪ Ronald Walters ▪ Ashton Welch ▪ Winthrop Wright TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface PART I - Africa, Europe, and the Americas 1. Africa to 1500 2. Africa and Europe before 1700 3. Early African Experiences in the Americas PART II - The Slave Trade and Slavery in the Americas 4. Africans in the Caribbean 5. Africans in Brazil 6. Africans in Mainland Spanish America 7. Africans in the Thirteen British Colonies PART III - Ending the Slave Trade and Slavery 8. Abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade 9. Emancipation in the Caribbean and Spanish America 10. Emancipation in the United States 11. Emancipation in Brazil PART IV - Africans in the Americas since Abolition 12. African Americans in Postemancipation Economies 13. Race and Politics in the United States 14. Race and Politics in Latin America 15. The Americas' Continuing Ties with Africa AFTERWORD GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHIC ESSAY INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHORS

About this title

About the Author:

Michael L. Conniff earned degrees at UC-Berkeley and Stanford (Ph.D. 1976) and has published a number of books on modern Latin American history, most recently A History of Modern Latin America (with Lawrence Clayton) and Populism in Latin America. He has lived in the region for a dozen years, has held several post-doc appointments (including three Fulbright tours), and served in the U.S. Peace Corps. He lectures often in Portuguese and Spanish. He taught history at the University of New Mexico, Auburn University, and the University of South Florida. As director of the Global Studies Institute at San José State University, Professor Conniff promotes curriculum reform, faculty and staff development, exchanges with foreign universities, and programs to prepare students to succeed as citizens and professionals in the world at large.

Thomas J. Davis, Ph.D., J.D., teaches history and law at Arizona State University in Tempe, focusing on race and the law, civil rights, and U.S. constitutional and legal history. His most recent publications include "Race, Identity, and the Law: Underlying Questions in Plessy v. Ferguson," in Race on Trial: Law and Justice in American History (2002); "The Community of Africans in the Americas: Colonialism to CARICOM and TransAfrica" Research and Diversity Journal (2002) and "Conspiracy and Credibility", William and Mary Quarterly (2002. His books include The New York Conspiracy (Beacon Press, 1971) and A Rumor of Revolt: The 'Great Negro Plot' in Colonial New York (Free Press/Macmillan, 1985; pb. University of Massachusetts Press, 1990), which won the Gustavus Myers Center Award as one of the best books published on racial intolerance in the United States.

From Library Journal:

Latin American historian Conniff ( Black Labor on a White Canal , LJ 7/85) and African American historian and LJ reviewer Davis ( Rumor of Revolt , LJ 6/15/85) endeavor to chronicle the divergent histories of African slaves and their descendants in the United States, the Caribbean, Brazil, and Spanish America. Today, the African diaspora is mired in poverty, wields little political power, and still reflects the impact of European cultural hegemony. This introductory historiography shows how the racism inherent in European colonialism created this situation. Overall, the text outlines the dominion of state and European society over the African populations, with several chapters centering on the histories of the internal communities of African descent in the Americas. The bibliographic essay is useful, but scholars would want references. Recommended for all relevant collections.
- Kathleen E. Bethel, Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, Ill.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Blackburn Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1930665687
• ISBN 13: 9781930665682
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 356