In the Shadow of Slavery

In the Shadow of Slavery reveals the vital role of enslaved Africans in transferring botanical knowledge and crops across the Atlantic through their provision gardens, challenging traditional views of the slave trade.

Drawing on archaeological records, oral histories, and slave ship logs, Judith Carney and Richard Rosomoff demonstrate how these 'botanical gardens of the dispossessed' ensured survival and Africanized plantation societies' cuisines.

The work highlights the unintended diaspora of African flora and its profound impact on New World agriculture and culture.