Enslaved Population and Indian Owners Along the East African Coast: Exploring the Rigby Manumission List, 1860–1861

Abstract

Abstract:The main purpose of this article is to explore the potential of the “List of Slaves unlawfully held in slavery by British Indian Subjects at Zanzibar & its Dependencies, who have been emancipated at the Consulate” for historical slavery studies. This list, a result of the first British-led manumission campaign against slave ownership along the east coast of Africa, is the most comprehensive list detailing slave ownership and slaves for the pre-colonial coastal society of East Africa. Despite of the importance and uniqueness, both this list and the campaign have not been yet fully analyzed. This article challenges to extract the data as much as possible from the list, not only sex ratio and ethnic origin of enslaved individuals, but also their identity and emotional status. Moreover, this article shows an aspect of slave ownership by British Indian subjects from the list.