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Sep 24, 2024

Book Talk: “How Domestic Slave Traders Shaped America” with Joshua Rothman

This ship manifest dated March 1, 1860, lists the twenty-nine enslaved men, women, and children being shipped from La Salle, Texas, to New Orleans, Louisiana. Each person's name, sex, age, height (except for the young children), and color (described variously as copper, black, and yellow) are noted. Courtesy of the National Archives (D.C.)

Author Joshua Rothman delved into the dark and often overlooked history of domestic slave traders in America. His groundbreaking book, “Ledger and the Chain: How Domestic Slave Traders Shaped America” sheds light on the economic, social, and cultural impact of these traders, whose actions profoundly influenced the development of the United States.