This course investigates the history of slavery and forced labor in the Americas before 1860. Professor James Walvin looks at slavery in the colonial period, the Revolutionary era, and the 1800s throughout the Americas. Topics include the enslavement of Indigenous people, the transatlantic slave trade, the development of African cultures in the Americas, and the anti-slavery movement. Students will begin to understand the diversity of slavery and enslaved people’s cultures in different regions as they assess the central role slavery played in the creation of American society.

COURSE CONTENT:

• Eleven seminar sessions led by Professor James Walvin

• Primary source readings that supplement Professor Walvin's lectures

• A certificate of completion for 15 hours of professional development credit

Readings: The optional readings for each seminar session are listed in the “Resources” tab on the course page. Please note that you are not required to read or purchase any print materials. Quizzes are based on the content of the seminar recordings rather than the readings.

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James Walvin is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of New York. He is the author or editor of thirty books including Black Presence: A Documentary History of the Negro England (1971). He was awarded the 1975 Martin Luther King Memorial Prize for Black and White: The Negro and English Society, which the New York Times included in its "Notable Books of the Year."