Reparations for Slavery and the Slave Trade

Reparations for Slavery and the Slave Trade discusses one of the most appalling atrocities of the modern era: slavery and the Atlantic slave trade. Despite the profound impact and enduring legacy of these practices, no former slave society in the Americas has provided reparations to former slaves or their descendants.

Ana Lucia Araujo demonstrates that calls for reparations have persisted through a long and arduous history. She explores how enslaved and freed individuals have conceptualised the idea of reparations from the 18th century onward, utilising various mediums such as petitions, correspondence, pamphlets, public speeches, slave narratives, and judicial claims.

The book guides readers through the eras of slavery, emancipation, post-abolition, and into the present day. By drawing on the voices of numerous enslaved peoples and their descendants, it sheds light on the diverse dimensions of reparation demands.

This new edition features an additional chapter on the global influence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the powerful repercussions following the killing of George Floyd, including calls for university reparations and the removal of statues. It has been updated throughout to include primary sources, further readings, and numerous illustrations.