Fall Research Expo 2021

On the Tails of the Trade: Enslaved Women, Slave Traders, and the Households they Shared

Slavery in the Antebellum United States and Caribbean was facilitated by an elaborate network of slave traders. Over the course of their dealings, some traders engaged in long-term intimate relationships and even started families with enslaved women. The purpose of this research is to identify these women and understand their experience living with those upholding the institution that kept them in bondage.

PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2021
PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2021

Comments

Hi, did your perspective change about the slave trade and women's experiences in general? Was there anything specific you discovered that was particularly moving? Very interesting poster!

Thanks for your question! As I was researching, I realized the phenomenon I was looking for was far more common than originally expected and that the slave trade was extremely expansive. I think the specific trials of each woman I investigated was especially moving because each of them were desperately trying to survive and help their families survive enslavement.

This is an intriguing topic. I am wondering if you just did a literature review of related materials, or if you synthesized any of the information you gathered into a larger project? If not, was the literature review part of a larger project under your PURM advisor? 

Hello, I love your presentation. History lessons about slavery in school overlook enslaved women often, so this was a fresh perspective.

I have always loved learning about slavery in the United States and all of the working parts that contributed to its horror and this was a very interesting look into a specific aspect of it that I found very fascinating!