On the 20th of January 1526; the Santiago left Lisbon bound for Africa with a cargo of brass and tin bracelets; round bells; barber basins and cloth; by early October the ship was back in Portugal with a very different cargo; 108 enslaved Africans. With chilling detachment the ship’s trading log records the commodification of human beings; the prices paid for them; the sums received for their sale and the number who did not survive the crossing. Whilst this log may be extremely rare; it is clear from another surviving document; the receipt book of the customs office of the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands; that such voyages were commonplace in the early years of the sixteenth century. The bulk of this volume consists of a translation into English of the receipt book from the customs office of the Cape Verde Islands. In it Portuguese customs agents recorded import duties on over 3;000 slaves transported from nearby West Africa in 36 ships. The customs officers named the slave traders; ships; officers; crew; and outfitters of the ships; as well as the price of each slave and the import duty collected by the Portuguese government and the Catholic Church. A second section of the customs book provides details of export taxes paid on c.600 African slaves by merchants from Portugal; Spain; and the Spanish Canary Islands; when they exchanged European merchandise for slaves. The final chapter of the volume translates the Santiago’s log; providing an example of an actual slave trading expedition. Taken together these documents open a rare window into the workings and scope of the early Atlantic slave trade.
#430505 in Books Susan Burch Hannah Joyner 2015-03-27 2015-03-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.43 x .71 x 5.85l; 1.07 #File Name: 1469626381320 pagesUnspeakable
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Important biography of a Black Deaf man in the early 1900's.By DGWell thought out; literate discussion of conditions two generations ago. Well researched and eye opening. This is a detailed; heavily referenced book. I wish the type was bigger; as I have difficulty reading small type.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fantastic Read!By alkrauseI am currently reading this book for a class and I have really realized how naive I am about the history of our nations mental and criminal systems. The book provides an excellent account of Junius Wilson ( a deaf blind black man) and his struggles as both during the time of the Jim Crow laws and strong racial tensions in the US. It provides the right amount of background history in order to fully understand the story while also give details about Wilsons experience in the system. This book delves into important issues and has sparked a lot of really interesting and intense conversation within my classroom. Overall; it is a book I would recommend to anyone who is looking for an eyeopening read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Compelling; but rather disappointingBy MaxineUnspeakable was a good book; but I found myself disappointed by it. While it was well-written and well-researched; I had a lot of trouble with a couple of things. First; I feel that the book starts out focusing on Junius Wilson as a deaf Black man; but ends up just focusing on his deafness. There are whole parts of his story that could have benefitted from a more comprehensive look at the intersection of oppressions. I also wanted the book to place Mr. Wilson in a larger context and use the individual as a springboard into the societal; but it didn't happen. Still; this book tells a moving story; and could be a recreational read as well as for a class. Despite my issues; I still enjoyed it.
