West Africans in Early New England: Enslavement, Culture, and Influential People
Listen to the lecture “West Africans in Early New England: Enslavement, Culture, and Influential People” in the media player below or directly on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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Transcript of lecture:
Download “West Africans in Early New England: Enslavement, Culture, and Influential People” as a PDF
Quick links to some primary sources: Belinda Sutton’s first petition.
As a reminder, the learning goals of the lecture are:
…for learners to be able to narrate who the first Africans in New England might have been; explain what the “Atlantic Creole” culture is; and identify some of the significance of either of the two African people I point out at the end.
Discussion questions and forum:
- Read this Slate article of Berlin’s work on the people he refers to as “Atlantic Creole” (https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/05/ira-berlin-generations-of-captivity-excerpt.html) or the following excerpted paragraph:
- “The ‘Atlantic creoles’ traced their beginnings to the historic encounter of Europeans and Africans, emerging around the trading factories or feitorias established along the coast of Africa in the 15th century by European expansionists. Many served as intermediaries in this developing crop of transatlantic trading enclaves, employing their linguistic skills and their familiarity with the Atlantic’s diverse commercial practices, cultural conventions, and diplomatic etiquette to mediate between the African merchants and European sea captains. In so doing, some Atlantic creoles identified with their ancestral homeland (or a portion of it)—be it African or European—and served as its representatives in negotiations. Other Atlantic creoles had been won over by the power and largess of one party or another so that Africans entered the employ of European trading companies, and Europeans traded with African potentates. Yet others played fast and loose with their mixed heritage, employing whichever identity paid best” (Berlin).
- What were Atlantic Creoles like compared to English Puritans? (you can use what you know about the Puritans or you may have to look at other lectures first). Did they have any similar characteristics or experiences, or different ones?
- Read Belinda Sutton’s first petition from 1783 (https://royallhouse.org/belinda-suttons-1783-petition-full-text/ ). Who is Belinda Sutton and what does this petition tell us about her? Compare and contrast how she describes her home in Africa with Massachusetts.
Respond to these discussion questions (or other topics of your choosing, relating to the lectures) here: