Member's Salon: In Recognition of Black History Month–Mapping the Slave Trade: A Cartographic History of Slavery–Presented by Dr. Richard Lobban

Black History Month celebrates events and individuals, recognizing the significant positive achievements of African Americans, as well as the negative challenges of racism and oppression that have been part of the entirety of American history since the first Africans were trafficked to Virginia in 1619.
       The achievements are often overlooked and the history of incumbent racism often denied. The history of the Atlantic slave trade is a case in point, while creating fabulous wealth in the Americas, and in Rhode Island specifically, it came at a terrible cost in human terms and in terms of American morality.
       This talk and discussion takes a cartographic look at the Atlantic slave trade with emphasis on the West Africa “Slave Coast” and Gorée, its significant integration with the 18th and 19th century maritime economy with ties to “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.”  The cartography of West Africa reveals key sources of slaves on the Guinea Coast and graphics on Rhode Island reveal its critical foundation to wealth in the Ocean State.