Voices of the Enslaved: Love, Labor, and Longing in French Louisiana (Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press)

In eighteenth-century New Orleans, the legal testimony of some 150 enslaved women and men--like the testimony of free colonists--was meticulously recorded and preserved. Questioned in criminal trials as defendants, victims, and witnesses about attacks, murders, robberies, and escapes, they answered with stories about themselves, stories that rebutted the premise on which slavery was founded. Focusing on four especially dramatic court cases, Voices of the Enslaved draws us into Louisiana's courtrooms, prisons, courtyards, plantations, bayous, and convents to understand how the enslaved viewed and experienced their worlds. As they testified, these individuals charted their movement between West African, indigenous, and colonial cultures; they pronounced their moral and religious values; and they registered their responses to labor, to violence, and, above all, to the intimate romantic and familial bonds they sought to create and protect. Their words--punctuated by the cadences of Creole and rich with metaphor--produced riveting autobiographical narratives as they veered from the questions posed by interrogators. Carefully assessing what we can discover, what we might guess, and what has been lost forever, Sophie White offers both a richly textured account of slavery in French Louisiana and a powerful meditation on the limits and possibilities of the archive. In Eighteenth-century New Orleans, The Legal Testimony Of Some 150 Enslaved Women And Men--like The Testimony Of Free Colonists--was Meticulously Recorded And Preserved. Questioned In Criminal Trials As Defendants, Victims, And Witnesses About Attacks, Murders, Robberies, And Escapes, They Answered With Stories About Themselves, Stories That Rebutted The Premise On Which Slavery Was Founded. Focusing On Four Especially Dramatic Court Cases, Voices Of The Enslaved Draws Us Into Louisiana's Courtrooms, Prisons, Courtyards, Plantations, Bayous, And Convents To Demonstrate How Enslaved People Viewed And Experienced Their Worlds. As They Testified, These Individuals Charted Their Movement Between West African, Indigenous, And Colonial Cultures; They Pronounced Their Moral And Religious Values; And They Registered Their Responses To Labor, To Violence, And, Above All, To The Intimate Romantic And Familial Bonds They Sought To Create And Protect. Their Words--punctuated By Cadences Of Creole And Rich With Metaphor--produced Riveting Autobiographical Narratives As They Veered From The Questions Posed By Interrogators. Carefully Assessing What We Can Discover, What We Might Guess, And What Has Been Lost Forever, Sophie White Offers Both A Richly Textured Account Of Slavery In French Louisiana And A Powerful Meditation On The Limits And Possibilities Of The Archive. In eighteenth-century New Orleans, the legal testimony of some 150 enslaved women and men--like the testimony of free colonists--was meticulously recorded and preserved. Questioned in criminal trials as defendants, victims, and witnesses about attacks, murders, robberies, and escapes, they answered with stories about themselves, stories that rebutted the premise on which slavery was founded.0Focusing on four especially dramatic court cases, Voices of the Enslaved draws us into Louisiana's courtrooms, prisons, courtyards, plantations, bayous, and convents to demonstrate how enslaved people viewed and experienced their worlds. As they testified, these individuals charted their movement between West African, Indigenous, and colonial cultures; they pronounced their moral and religious values; and they registered their responses to labor, to violence, and, above all, to the intimate romantic and familial bonds they sought to create and protect. Their words--punctuated by cadences of Creole and rich with metaphor--produced riveting autobiographical narratives as they veered from the questions posed by interrogators.0Carefully assessing what we can discover, what we might guess, and what has been lost forever, Sophie White offers both a richly textured account of slavery in French Louisiana and a powerful meditation on the limits and possibilities of the archive In 18th-century New Orleans, the legal testimony of some 150 enslaved women & men - like the testimony of free colonists - was meticulously recorded & preserved. Questioned in criminal trials as defendants, victims, & witnesses about attacks, murders, robberies, & escapes, they answered with stories about themselves, stories that rebutted the premise on which slavery was founded. Focusing on four especially dramatic court cases, 'Voices of the Enslaved' draws us into Louisiana's courtrooms, prisons, courtyards, plantations, bayous, & convents to understand how the enslaved viewed & experienced their worlds. As they testified, these individuals charted their movement between West African, indigenous, & colonial cultures; they pronounced their moral & religious values; & they registered their responses to labour, to violence, & to the intimate & familial bonds they sought to create & protect "In eighteenth-century New Orleans, the legal testimony of some 150 enslaved women and men--like the testimony of free colonists--was meticulously recorded and preserved. Questioned in criminal trials as defendants, victims, and witnesses about attacks, murders, robberies, and escapes, they answered with stories about themselves, stories that rebutted the premise on which slavery was founded. Focusing on four especially dramatic court cases, Voices of the Enslaved draws us into Louisiana's courtrooms, prisons, courtyards, plantations, bayous, and convents to demonstrate how enslaved people viewed and experienced their worlds. Sophie White offers both a richly textured account of slavery in French Louisiana and a powerful meditation on the limits and possibilities of the archive"-- Provided by publisher