Atlantic Trade Research Articles

Augmenting the availability of historical GDP per capita estimates through machine learning

Can we use data on the biographies of historical figures to estimate the GDP per capita of countries and regions? Here, we introduce a machine learning method to estimate the GDP per capita of dozens of countries and hundreds of regions in Europe and North America for the past seven centuries starting from data on the places of birth, death, and occupations of hundreds of thousands of historical figures. We build an elastic net regression model to perform feature selection and generate out-of-sample estimates that explain 90% of the variance in known historical income levels. We use this model to generate GDP per capita estimates for countries, regions, and time periods for which these data are not available and externally validate our estimates by comparing them with four proxies of economic output: urbanization rates in the past 500 y, body height in the 18th century, well-being in 1850, and church building activity in the 14th and 15th century. Additionally, we show our estimates reproduce the well-known reversal of fortune between southwestern and northwestern Europe between 1300 and 1800 and find this is largely driven by countries and regions engaged in Atlantic trade. These findings validate the use of fine-grained biographical data as a method to augment historical GDP per capita estimates. We publish our estimates with CI together with all collected source data in a comprehensive dataset.

The Politics of a Portrait: Biopics, Slavery and Contemporary Racial Politics in the United States

The article examines the connection between the past and the present, and between the personal and the political, in three recent biographical pictures directed by filmmakers of color: The Birth of a Nation (2016, dir. Nate Parker), Harriet (2018, dir. Kasi Lemmons), and Emancipation (2022, dir. Antoine Fuqua). By addressing the history of American slavery, the films not only come into a dialogue with the preexisting representations of slavery in music, photography and cinema, but also reflect on current racial politics and antiracist activism in the United States. They offer a commentary on changing attitudes towards the issue of race in America, and engage with the collective memory of slavery - a past trauma, which has shaped the African American identity.

CORRECTING MODEL MISSPECIFICATION IN RELATIONSHIP ESTIMATES.

The datasets of large genotyping biobanks and direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies contain many related individuals. Until now, it has been widely accepted that the most distant relationships that can be detected are around fifteen degrees (approximately 8 th cousins) and that practical relationship estimates have a ceiling around ten degrees (approximately 5 th cousins). However, we show that these assumptions are incorrect and that they are due to a misapplication of relationship estimators. In particular, relationship estimators are applied almost exclusively to putative relatives who have been identified because they share detectable tracts of DNA identically by descent (IBD). However, no existing relationship estimator conditions on the event that two individuals share at least one detectable segment of IBD anywhere in the genome. As a result, the relationship estimates obtained using existing estimators are dramatically biased for distant relationships, inferring all sufficiently distant relationships to be around ten degrees regardless of the depth of the true relationship. Existing relationship estimators are derived under a model that assumes that each pair of related individuals shares a single common ancestor (or mating pair of ancestors). This model breaks down for relationships beyond 10 generations in the past because individuals share many thousands of cryptic common ancestors due to pedigree collapse. We first derive a corrected likelihood that conditions on the event that at least one segment is observed between a pair of putative relatives and we demonstrate that the corrected likelihood largely eliminates the bias in estimates of pairwise relationships and provides a more accurate characterization of the uncertainty in these estimates. We then reformulate the relationship inference problem to account for the fact that individuals share many common ancestors, not just one. We demonstrate that the most distant relationship that can be inferred using IBD may be 200 degrees or more, rather than ten, extending the time-to-common ancestor from approximately 300 years in the past to approximately 3,000 years in the past or more. This dramatic increase in the range of relationship estimators makes it possible to infer relationships whose common ancestors lived before historical events such as European settlement of the Americas, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

Deconstructing a National Hero: The Changing Representation of the Prussian Sailor and Slave Trader Joachim Nettelbeck, 1807 to Present

Abstract: Joachim Nettelbeck (1738–1824) was a Prussian sailor who worked as a first mate on Dutch slavers, lobbied with three Prussian kings for the acquisition of overseas colonies, and became famous when his hometown Kolberg was under siege by Napoleonic troops in 1807. This article traces the heroization of Nettelbeck during the past two centuries and analyzes how this representation faced eventual crisis. After providing an account of Nettelbeck's biography, it examines how Nettelbeck was made a national hero and how his participation in the transatlantic slave trade was repressed in this process. Finally, it describes how decolonial civil society initiatives have shifted the public perception of Nettelbeck since 2008.

The Haunting of the Antebellum South: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s Appropriate as a Gothic Memory Archive

In Appropriate (2014), Branden Jacobs-Jenkins unearths the buried horror of the antebellum South by crafting a story about the white, dysfunctional Lafayettes, who visit their family house in Arkansas for an estate sale. In the process, they discover the secret of their deceased patriarch – that he collected photos and body parts of lynched Black men and women as souvenirs. Following the trend established by American Gothic scholars who read the American house as a metonym for the United States and its haunting entanglement with slavery, this article explores how Appropriate uses specific traits of the genre to critique its racialized conventions, particularly the portrayal of slavery as the haunting “dark” guilt of the past. I read the Lafayette family’s collective obsession with lynched body parts across three generations as a form of Gothic doubling. Furthermore, I explore how Jacobs-Jenkins reveals the Gothic horror of the past through the trope of the unseen and repressed Other – mainly through the sound of cicadas – which emphasizes the dismembered body in active pain rather than frozen and preserved in time. Through these interventions, Jacobs-Jenkins disturbs buried and repressed discourses about transatlantic slavery and white supremacy that still haunt the United States today.

German (post)colonialism: Archiving, collecting, exhibiting and repatriating Pacific cultures, a conversation

ABSTRACT In Potential History: Unlearning Imperialism (2019) Ariella Azoulay highlights how histories of slavery and colonialism and the acquiring, taking, stealing and looting of artefacts from people and communities around the world by Western imperial actors are often two sides of the same coin. This conversation brings together scholars and curators to address these intricate and entangled histories and their legacies in the context of the German presence in the Pacific. Pia Wiegmink, a scholar of transatlantic slavery, interviews Emma Christopher, an Australian historian currently working on a database project to document “blackbirding” in the Pacific, Oliver Lueb, a German curator of an Oceania collection in a German museum, and Imelda Miller, an Australian South Sea Islander curator working with collections and archaeological sites in Queensland, Australia.

Seeing culture from below: Counter‐curating, counter‐ethnography, counter‐mapping

AbstractThis paper reflects on our mapping and database project britishmonumentsrelatedtoslavery.net, the first and currently most complete account of British representational public monuments related to British transatlantic slavery. It reproduces our headline findings and presents some new maps of the data. However, our main focus in this paper is on placing our project in a wider context of emergent practices and methods that inspired us. First, we note the exponential historical emergence of three connected critical, grassroots ‘counter’ practices across different institutions: of mapping, curating, and ethnography. We frame their critical commonality in their ‘counter’ approach to the nexus of what Benedict Anderson identified as three key ‘institutions of power … census, map, museum’, which have been central to conceiving and executing policy. Second, we prospectively identify some of the common structural causes that underlie this emergent assembly of instituent knowledge‐making practices from below.

Scars on the Land: An Environmental History of Slavery in the American South, by David Silkenat

<i>Scars on the Land: An Environmental History of Slavery in the American South</i>, by David Silkenat

Critical Decades: Textiles and Material Culture in Jane Eyre and Three Recent Adaptations

This paper discusses the social commentary of textile production as revealed in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) and three recent adaptations. First, I focus on Rosamond Oliver’s deceptively offhand allusion to the Luddite riots of 1812 to argue that Brontë sets her novel in the 1810s during the upheavals impacting the textile industries of the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the North West regions. This setting coupled with textual allusions to early nineteenth-century fashions are used to connect the female characters’ dress in Jane Eyre to local and global labour issues, colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade. I then turn to the visual representation of textiles in the intermedial adaptations of Jane Eyre by Robert Young (1997), Susanna White (2006) and Cary Fukunaga (2011), which by visually highlighting the material culture of the 1830s and 1840s, move Brontë’s narrative from the late Georgian to the early Victorian era. These adaptations overwrite the novel’s allusions to early nineteenth-century debates on industrialisation, colonialism and human enslavement in order to privilege its mid-nineteenth-century feminist critique of British marriage laws.

Henrietta Howard: mistress, survivor, imperialist?

ABSTRACT Traditionally, Henrietta Howard has been seen through the lens of her role as George II's mistress and a ‘woman of reason’ who was connected to the leading men of her day. More recently, Henrietta Howard has been reinterpreted as a minor feminist icon: a survivor, who overcame childhood tragedy, an abusive marriage, and the patriarchal system to become a leading cultural patron, living in comfort at the home she built, Marble Hill. This article seeks to situate Henrietta as a beneficiary of, and participant in, imperial activity and exchange. Today these two interpretations - Henrietta as ‘survivor’ and Henrietta as ‘imperialist’;- feel at odds with one another. Present-day attitudes mean that a feel-good, ‘girlboss’; feminist narrative about Henrietta’s life, does not sit easily with the fact that she benefitted from transatlantic slavery. However, I argue the two readings can be reconciled, creating a new interpretation, when we consider that it was through imperial activity that Georgian women such as Henrietta Howard were able to materially benefit, survive and even thrive.

The Influence of African Heritage on Afro-American Literary Expression

This research paper explores the profound influence of African heritage on Afro-American literary expression. It begins by examining the historical context, emphasizing the impact of the transatlantic slave trade and early Afro-American literature's retention of African cultural elements. The Harlem Renaissance is highlighted as a pivotal moment that celebrated African roots and set the stage for future literary developments. Central themes derived from African heritage, such as resistance, resilience, and connection to ancestry, are analyzed, illustrating their prominence in both historical and contemporary works. The paper deal with storytelling techniques and narrative structures influenced by African oral traditions, folktales, and myths, highlighting how these elements enrich Afro-American literature. The use of rhythmic language, communal narration, and the call- and-response pattern are discussed as significant aspects that enhance narrative depth and cultural authenticity. The integration of African symbols, music, and communal values as cultural motifs is explored, showcasing how these elements infuse literary works with layers of meaning and cultural resonance. The reclamation of African identity is a key focus, with discussions on Afrocentric perspectives in modern literature, the impact of the Black Arts Movement, and contemporary literary movements. The challenges and opportunities of navigating dual heritage and cultural hybridity are addressed, emphasizing the complexities of identity formation and cultural expression.

Liquor Rations and Labour Management in the Nineteenth-Century Atlantic World

Abstract A striking yet underexamined system of labour management circulated between land and sea in the nineteenth-century Atlantic world: the use of liquor rations to stimulate worker productivity. Turning to the British naval warship and the American slave plantation, this article depicts how labour supervisors in both settings relied on carefully regulated quantities of alcohol to extract more labour from their workforces. Even as Anglo-American temperance activists called for sobering up the working classes, many naval commanders and slaveholders held firm to the belief that managed intemperance was an essential tool for mobilizing workers. The study of liquor rations and the arguments endorsing their distribution helps to reveal how a spectrum of coercive labour practices swept through the Atlantic world amid the emergence of an industrial capitalist order. Zooming in on the history of these rations enables us to discern labour extraction strategies that operated between the poles of violent coercion and market-based exploitation, and that animated vital sectors of the Atlantic economy during the nineteenth century.

Reclaiming History: The Role of Memory in Afro-American Literature

This research explores the pivotal role of memory in Afro-American literature, focusing on its multifaceted functions as a tool of resistance, cultural preservation, and historical reinterpretation. Memory in Afro-American literature emerges as a dynamic force that not only documents personal and collective experiences but also challenges dominant narratives of oppression and erasure. Through a nuanced examination of literary works spanning from slave narratives such as Frederick Douglass' "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" (1845) to contemporary novels like Toni Morrison's "Beloved" (1987), this study illuminates how memory serves as a means of reclaiming agency and identity amidst historical trauma.The research discusses critiques of relying on memory in literature, acknowledging concerns about subjectivity and historical accuracy. It argues that memory in Afro-American literature transcends mere recollection, offering profound insights into the complexities of African American experiences and histories. By exploring examples such as Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937) and James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time" (1963), the study demonstrates how Afro-American authors use memory to confront systemic injustices, preserve cultural heritage, and inspire social activism.Ultimately, Afro-American literature's enduring legacy lies in its ability to reshape historical narratives through the transformative power of memory. By interrogating memory's intersections with literature and activism, this research invites readers to engage critically with the past and envision a future grounded in truth, empathy, and reconciliation. Through its exploration of memory's role in shaping identity, justice, and cultural resilience, Afro-American literature continues to provoke thought and inspire meaningful dialogue on the enduring legacies of slavery, segregation, and the ongoing quest for equality.

The Rise of Decolonial Image: Postcolonial Reading to Django Unchained Movie by Quentin Tarantino

This paper provides postcolonial analysis of Django Unchained movie which is written and directed by American Film writer Quentin Tarantino in 2012. More specifically, the analysis focused on three primary components: firstly, Quentin Tarantino’s critique for slavery of blacks and racial discrimination, secondly, Orientalized Oriental discourse via postcolonial lens, and thirdly, decolonization discourse which is represented by Django, the protagonist of the movie. Throughout the movie, the viewers can see many scenes of slavery and racial intolerance which reflects many historical facts in the era of American slavery; including how blacks were obliged to work and how they were treated inhumanely. In a similar vein, the viewer can see the spirit of Orientalized Oriental phenomenon through Stephen as one of the major actors of the movie who embodies the phenomenon which supported abusing with blacks although he is a black actor. Quentin Tarantino gives a spectacular role to Django who becomes a symbolic emancipation of blacks and earns his freedom and frees his wife, Broomhilda. Postcolonial critics react against the imperial history of colonization, like the structure of racism as well as colonial power which reshaped itself by Orientalized Oriental discourse. After all, Django Unchained Movie contributes to the discourse of postcolonialism in which Quentin Tarantino reveals some historical facts about African American slavery, and in contrast to many other Film Makers, he gives a good role to non-European hero, Django.

Continuities between the slave trade, “legitimate” commerce, and the Serviçal trade: a look at four families in Angola in the mid- to late nineteenth century

ABSTRACT Using archival sources, baptismal records, obituaries, travellers’ accounts, newspapers and Luanda’s weekly gazette the Boletim Oficial do Governo Geral da Província de Angola, this paper explores the participation of Angola’s slave-trading elite in “legitimate” commerce and the serviçal trade. Specifically, it focuses on the families of four prominent slave traders: Dona Ana Joaquina dos Santos Silva, José Maria Matoso de Andrade da Câmara, José Maria do Prado, and Francisco de Salles Ferreira. Using micro-history as a tool of analysis, this paper demonstrates that some elites and their families were able to use profits from the transatlantic slave trade to weather the transition to “legitimate” commerce and indentured labour. In turn, it challenges the “crisis of adaptation” theory and highlights the role that familial wealth from the transatlantic slave trade played in the later part of the nineteenth century.

The Journey to Freedom and Humanization in Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

The Journey to Freedom and Humanization in Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

The Gift: How Objects of Prestige Shaped the Atlantic Slave Trade and Colonialism by Ana Lucia Araujo (review)

The Gift: How Objects of Prestige Shaped the Atlantic Slave Trade and Colonialism by Ana Lucia Araujo (review)

Vulnerability and Dependence in Slavery and Post-Slavery Societies: A Historicisation of the Enslaved Children (Pon Pekpen) from the Bamum Kingdom (West Cameroon)

This article is a reflection on the history of enslaved children (Pon pekpen) in African slavery and post-slavery societies, such as the Bamum Kingdom. This traditional monarchy of the Grassfields of Cameroon, founded in 1394 by Nchare Yen, was one of the largest providers of captives transported to the Atlantic coast and used locally to meet the needs of traditional slavery. In this kingdom, slaves and their descendants, as well as enslaved peoples, represented nearly 80% of the total population. The trade of captives and servile practices left indelible traces, particularly where enslaved children were concerned. So, what did enslaved children represent in African slavery and post-slavery societies, such as the Bamum Kingdom? The aim of this study is to show that the enslaved children were the most vulnerable and dependent members of slavery and post-slavery systems. This study is based on oral, archival iconographic, written and electronic sources, using theories of social dominance and subaltern studies. It clearly shows that the vulnerability and dependence of enslaved children (Pon pekpen) made them special, weak and hopeful links in the slavery system and the persistence of slavery practices. They were mainly victims of traditional slavery and of the trans-Saharan and transatlantic slave trades. Despite the formal abolition of the slave trade and slavery between the 19th and 20th centuries, enslaved children and the descendants of enslaved people continue to be victims of a kind of subalternisation because they are usually considered second-class citizens.

Chains of Currency: Manilla Money Bracelets, Early Modern Africa and the Ties That Bind

Manilla money bracelets emerged during the early modern period (ca. fifteenth century AD) as a form of currency between western Europe and West Africa, and continued to circulate until the early twentieth century. While there has been little formal scholarship on manillas, narratives abound: some histories cast the bracelets as the blood money of the transatlantic slave trade; others highlight them as the copper source used to make the Benin Bronzes; and still others uphold the manilla as a symbolically important West African cultural object in and of itself. This study begins with a history of the manilla, from its rapid proliferation to its eventual obsolescence. The term “metastasizing symbol” is proposed to describe objects like the manilla, whose propagation is underwritten by unsustainable systems of cultural difference, and thereby contains within itself the seeds for the object’s transition to disuse. The authors also describe a portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis of nine manilla bracelets from the Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG). When compared to manilla composition data from previous studies and projected into PCA space, the nine YUAG manillas appear most similar to specimens produced in England during the mid-nineteenth century and traded extensively in British West Africa throughout the colonial period. KEYWORDS: Manilla Money Bracelets; pXRF; Transatlantic Slave Trade; Europe; West Africa; Early Modern Period; European Imperialism; Provenance

Teaching the way I wish I was taught: Design and implementation of a class on historically excluded and underrepresented scientists.

As the first Inupiaq person to earn a PhD in microbiology, I learned the hard way that groups of people have been excluded from science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the United States since the first University was built by Black and Indigenous slaves. Students from historically excluded and underrepresented (HEU) backgrounds typically do not see themselves in textbooks, conferences, or classrooms, especially in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) fields. Similarly, students from these backgrounds and non-excluded backgrounds typically do not understand the history or consequences of exclusion. Here I describe the development and implementation of a class that teaches undergraduate students about the current state of diversity in STEMM jobs in the US, the history of exclusion that resulted in a deficit of people from various backgrounds, the consequences of excluding these people from research specifically, current leaders in research from HEU backgrounds, and how to implement changes. The students are taught how to communicate their findings in oral and written communication to various audiences. Based on decades of experiences, discussions, readings, and more, I teach students the reasons there are so few people from HEU backgrounds in academia and in STEMM specifically, and what can be done at the University level to ensure that people from all backgrounds are represented in STEMM. In this way, I teach students what I wish I had been taught decades ago.