Slavery and antislavery in Spain's Atlantic empire /

This collection fills an important gap in the historiography of slavery and the Atlantic world. The editors point out that Spain and its empire occupied a somewhat anomalous place in the growth of slavery and the slave trade; Spain was the first European power to establish sugar plantations in the Americas, yet the last to engage significantly in the slave trade. African slavery did not occupy the central position in the Spanish Empire that it did in the British, French, and Dutch Caribbean possessions--not until the early 19th century, when Spain's American empire began to crumble. Each essay in this volume addresses a facet of slavery and/or abolition in Spanish America and makes a powerful case for the subject's importance in the history of Atlantic slavery. Cuba figures prominently in several essays, given its position as Spain's last slave colony. Several pieces also engage transatlantic abolitionist networks in the Iberian world--an important counterpoint to the better-known British story. This volume will be an important addition to collections on slavery and Atlantic and Iberian history; unfortunately, its steep price may prevent it from doing so in many institutions. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates and above. K. M. Gannon Grand View University