The Common Wind : Afro-American Currents in the Age of the Haitian Revolution

A remarkable intellectual history of the slave revolts that made the modern revolutionary era Out of the grey expanse of official records in Spanish, English and French, The Common Wind provides a gripping and colorful account of inter-continental communication networks that tied together the free and enslaved masses of the new world. A powerful "history from below," this book follows those "rumors of emancipation" and the people who spread them, bringing to life the protagonists in the revolution against slavery. Though it's been said that The Common Wind is "the most original dissertation ever written," and is credited for having "opened up the Black Atlantic with a rigor and a commitment to the power of written words," the PhD project has remained unpublished for thirty-two years, since it's completion at Duke University in 1986. Now, after decades of achieving wide acclaim by leading historians of slavery and the new world, it will finally be released by Verso for the first time, with a foreword from Marcus Rediker. The Common Wind Is A Gripping And Colorful Account Of The Intercontinental Networks That Tied Together The Free And Enslaved Masses Of The New World. Having Delved Deep Into The Gray Obscurity Of Official Eighteenth-century Records In Spanish, English, And French, Julius S. Scott Has Written A Powerful History From Below. Scott Follows The Spread Of Rumors Of Emancipation And The People Behind Them, Bringing To Life The Protagonists In The Slave Revolution. By Tracking The Colliding Worlds Of Buccaneers, Military Deserters, And Maroon Communards From Venezuela To Virginia, Scott Records The Transmission Of Contagious Mutinies And Insurrections In Unparalleled Detail, Providing Readers With An Intellectual History Of The Enslaved. Hough The Common Wind Is Credited With Having Opened Up The Black Atlantic With A Rigor And A Commitment To The Power Of Written Words, The Manuscript Remained Unpublished For Thirty-two Years. Now, After Receiving Wide Acclaim From Leading Historians Of Slavery And The New World, It Has Been Published By Verso For The First Time, With A Foreword By The Academic And Author Marcus Rediker.-- Pandora's Box : The Masterless Caribbean At The End Of The Eighteenth Century -- Negroes In Foreign Bottoms : Sailors, Slaves, And Communication -- The Suspence Is Dangerous In A Thousand Shapes : News, Rumor, And Politics On The Eve Of The Haitian Revolution -- Ideas Of Liberty Have Sunk So Deep : Communication And Revolution, 1789-93 -- Know Your True Interests : Saint-domingue And The Americas, 1793-1800. Julius S. Scott ; Foreword By Marcus Rediker. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This widely acclaimed and influential work of African American history traces the slave revolts that made the modern revolutionary era. “An important part of the tradition of scholarship that puts the end of modern slavery in a global perspective.” —Robin D.G. Kelley, author of Freedom Dreams and Race Rebel Out of the grey expanse of official records in Spanish, English and French, The Common Wind provides a gripping and colorful account of inter-continental communication networks that tied together the free and enslaved masses of the new world, offering a powerful “history from below.” Scott follows the spread of “rumors of emancipation” and the people behind them, bringing to life the protagonists in the slave revolution. By tracking the colliding worlds of buccaneers, military deserters, and maroon communards from Venezuela to Virginia, Scott records the transmission of contagious mutinies and insurrections in unparalleled detail, providing readers with an intellectual history of the enslaved. Though The Common Wind is credited with having “opened up the Black Atlantic with a rigor and a commitment to the power of written words,” the manuscript remained unpublished for 32 years. Now, after receiving wide acclaim from leading historians of slavery and the New World, it has been published by Verso for the first time, with a foreword by the academic and author Marcus Rediker. Winner of the 2019 Stone Book Award, Museum of African American History A remarkable intellectual history of the slave revolts that made the modern revolutionary era The Common Wind is a gripping and colorful account of the intercontinental networks that tied together the free and enslaved masses of the New World. Having delved deep into the gray obscurity of official eighteenth-century records in Spanish, English, and French, Julius S. Scott has written a powerful “history from below.” Scott follows the spread of “rumors of emancipation” and the people behind them, bringing to life the protagonists in the slave revolution. By tracking the colliding worlds of buccaneers, military deserters, and maroon communards from Venezuela to Virginia, Scott records the transmission of contagious mutinies and insurrections in unparalleled detail, providing readers with an intellectual history of the enslaved. Though The Common Wind is credited with having “opened up the Black Atlantic with a rigor and a commitment to the power of written words,” the manuscript remained unpublished for thirty-two years. Now, after receiving wide acclaim from leading historians of slavery and the New World, it has been published by Verso for the first time, with a foreword by the academic and author Marcus Rediker. The Common Wind is a gripping and colorful account of the intercontinental networks that tied together the free and enslaved masses of the New World. Having delved deep into the gray obscurity of official eighteenth-century records in Spanish, English, and French, Julius S. Scott has written a powerful "history from below." Scott follows the spread of "rumors of emancipation" and the people behind them, bringing to life the protagonists in the slave revolution. By tracking the colliding worlds of buccaneers, military deserters, and maroon communards from Venezuela to Virginia, Scott records the transmission of contagious mutinies and insurrections in unparalleled detail, providing readers with an intellectual history of the enslaved. Though The Common Wind is credited with having "opened up the Black Atlantic with a rigor and a commitment to the power of written words," the manuscript remained unpublished for thirty-two years. Now, after receiving wide acclaim from leading historians of slavery and the New World, it has been published by Verso for the first time, with a foreword by the academic and author Marcus Rediker."-- Provided by publisher "Out of the grey expanse of official records in Spanish, English and French, The Common Wind provides a gripping and colourful account of inter-continental communication networks that tied together the free and enslaved masses of the new world. A powerful "history from below," this book follows those "rumours of emancipation" and the people who spread them, bringing to life the protagonists in the revolution against slavery. Though it has been said that The Common Wind is "the most original dissertation ever written," and is credited for having "opened up the Black Atlantic with a rigour and a commitment to the power of written words," the PhD project has remained unpublished for thirty-two years, since it was completed at Duke University in 1986. Now, after receiving wide acclaim from leading historians of slavery and the new world, it will be released by Verso for the first time, with a foreword by Marcus Rediker"-- Provided by publisher ****Winner of the 2019 Stone Book Award, Museum of African American History** __A remarkable intellectual history of the slave revolts that made the modern revolutionary era__**By tracking the colliding worlds of buccaneers, military deserters, and maroon communards from Venezuela to Virginia, Scott records the transmission of contagious mutinies and insurrections in unparalleled detail, providing readers with an intellectual history of the enslaved.