James Walvin

A fascinating journey through the history of Amazing Grace, one of the transatlantic world's most popular hymns and a powerful anthem for humanity. Sung in moments of personal isolation or on state occasions watched by millions, Amazing Grace has become an unparalleled anthem for humankind. How did a simple Christian hymn, written in a remote English vicarage in 1772, come...

The brutal story of African slavery in the British colonies of the West Indies and North America is told with clarity and compassion in this classic history. Black Ivory by James Walvin explores the experiences which bound together slaves from diverse African backgrounds and explains how slavery transformed the tastes and economy of the Western world. Although written for readers...

The first full review of the mass murder by crew members on the slave ship Zong and the lasting repercussions of this horrifying event. On November 29, 1781, Captain Collingwood of the British ship Zong commanded his crew to throw overboard one-third of his cargo: a shipment of Africans bound for slavery in America. The captain believed his ship was...