The American Slave-Trade

An Account of Its Origin, Growth and Suppression

First published in the year 1900, American journalist, naval historian and author John R. Spears’ book tells the story of American slave trading, from its early beginnings in 1619 to its end with the hanging of the last slaver in 1862. In this carefully researched history, Spears vividly recounts tales of the ship-owners who crammed 500 or more human beings into holds so filthy that half of them died before the voyage ended, and the captains who chained their human cargo to the anchor and threw them into the sea to avoid being taken with evidence. There are chapters on the first slaver pirate to be executed in the United States; the forming of the law that followed Amistad’s voyage; and the notion that a man may take another life if his liberty is at stake. The American Slave-Trade chronicles facts showing the gain involved and the dreams of a slave state; the sham efforts—as well as the authentic ones—to stop slavery; and exposes the fanatical bigots—who they were and how they stood to profit. Finally, the book also details the facts relating to overcrowded ships and brutal masters in the odious traffic in African slaves.