West African Narratives of Slavery

Download or read book West African Narratives of Slavery written by Sandra E. Greene and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2011-02-16 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Slavery in Africa existed for hundreds of years before it was abolished in the late 19th century. Yet, we know little about how enslaved individuals, especially those who never left Africa, talked about their experiences. Collecting never before published or translated narratives of Africans from southeastern Ghana, Sandra E. Greene explores how these writings reveal the thoughts, emotions, and memories of those who experienced slavery and the slave trade. Greene considers how local norms and the circumstances behind the recording of the narratives influenced their content and impact. This unprecedented study affords unique insights into how ordinary West Africans understood and talked about their lives during a time of change and upheaval.