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White Cargo: The Forgotten History of Britain's White Slaves in America
Contributor(s): Jordan, Don (Author), Walsh, Michael (Author)

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ISBN: 0814742963     ISBN-13: 9780814742969
Publisher: New York University Press
OUR PRICE: $26.60  

Binding Type: Paperback - See All Available Formats & Editions
Published: March 2008
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Annotation: With information gleaned from contemporary letters, journals and court archives, White Cargo is packed with proof that the brutalities usually associated with black slavery were, for centuries, also inflicted on whites.
--"Daily Mail"An eye-opening and heart-rending story.
--"The Times" (London)

White Cargo is the forgotten story of the thousands of Britons who lived and died in bondage in Britains American colonies.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, more than 300,000 white people were shipped to America as slaves. Urchins were swept up from Londons streets to labor in the tobacco fields, where life expectancy was no more than two years. Brothels were raided to provide breeders for Virginia. Hopeful migrants were duped into signing as indentured servants, unaware they would become personal property who could be bought, sold, and even gambled away. Transported convicts were paraded for sale like livestock.

Drawing on letters crying for help, diaries, and court and government archives, Don Jordan and Michael Walsh demonstrate that the brutalities usually associated with black slavery alone were perpetrated on whites throughout British rule. The trade ended with American independence, but the British still tried to sell convicts in their former colonies, which prompted one of the most audacious plots in Anglo-American history.

This is a saga of exploration and cruelty spanning 170 years that has been submerged under the overwhelming memory of black slavery. White Cargo brings the brutal, uncomfortable story to the surface.

Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- History | United States - Colonial Period (1600-1775)
- History | Europe - Great Britain - General
- Social Science | Slavery
Dewey: 306.362
LCCN: 2007037976
Physical Information: 1.1" H x 6" W x 9.1" L (1.05 lbs) 320 pages
Themes:
- Cultural Region - British Isles
- Chronological Period - 17th Century
- Chronological Period - 18th Century
Features: Bibliography, Index, Maps, Table of Contents
Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 01/07/2008 pg. 45
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2008 pg. 26
New York Times Book Review 04/27/2008 pg. 20
Choice 02/01/2009
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:

The forgotten story of the thousands of white Britons who lived and died in bondage in Britain's American colonies

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, more than 300,000 white people were shipped to America as slaves. Urchins were swept up from London's streets to labor in the tobacco fields, where life expectancy was no more than two years. Brothels were raided to provide "breeders" for Virginia. Hopeful migrants were duped into signing as indentured servants, unaware they would become personal property who could be bought, sold, and even gambled away. Transported convicts were paraded for sale like livestock.

Drawing on letters crying for help, diaries, and court and government archives, Don Jordan and Michael Walsh demonstrate that the brutalities usually associated with black slavery alone were perpetrated on whites throughout British rule. The trade ended with American independence, but the British still tried to sell convicts in their former colonies, which prompted one of the most audacious plots in Anglo-American history.

This is a saga of exploration and cruelty spanning 170 years that has been submerged under the overwhelming memory of black slavery. White Cargo brings the brutal, uncomfortable story to the surface.


Contributor Bio(s): Jordan, Don: - Don Jordan is an award-winning television director and writer who has worked on dozens of documentaries and dramas. He lives in London.Walsh, Michael: - Michael Walsh spent twelve years as a reporter and presenter on World in Action and has won several awards for his work. He is now a producer and writer living in London, specializing in political and historical documentaries.
 
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