In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World

Explore the modern-day impact of slavery and colonialism in this panoramic Black history for anti-racist readers of 1619 Project and Caste.

The companion book to a groundbreaking exhibition on African American history and culture--with 150 powerful illustrations of people and objects.

This powerful collection of essays brought to life with more than 150 illustrations investigates the intertwined legacies of slavery, freedom, and capitalism. In Slavery’s Wake frames the history of slavery in a global context to show how it created systems of oppression that continue to shape the world today. Compelling essays from key historians and scholars trace the contemporary resonances of slavery but also the history of freedom-making, from abolitionism to enslaved and colonized people asserting their humanity to the Black Lives Matter movement. The history is humanized by:

• Art reflecting on liberation, including the gorgeous artwork of Daniel Minter
• Historic and contemporary artifacts that represent enslavement and resistance

• Poignant interviews of descendants of formerly colonized and enslaved people sharing their lived experiences

This book posits that current matters of freedom and equality are only made possible by understanding how past injustices have defined the present, making it an essential read for anyone engaged in social justice. Poignant and insightful, In Slavery’s Wake examines the long shadow of slavery and looks toward building a freer future beyond it.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. PAUL GARDULLO is a historian and curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and director of its Center for the Study of Global Slavery. JOHANNA OBENDA is a curatorial specialist at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture who explores stories of the varied African diasporic experience through the lens of art, history, and culture. ANTHONY BOGUES is Harmon Family Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University. He is the author of numerous books, including Black Heretics, Black Prophets.