Throughline What the banana tells us about US history
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Mar 31, 2026 
Dan Kopel, a writer and historian of objects and commodities, explains Minor Keith and the banana's surprising influence on US reach. He traces Keith's railroad venture in Central America. He outlines the deadly labor conditions, the land-for-concession deal, and how feeding workers turned into a global banana business.
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Minor Keith's Risky Leap Into Central American Railroads
- Minor Keith left Brooklyn, failed as a Texas rancher, and chased railroad opportunity in Central America after his uncle's invite.
- He saw railroads as a path to wealth and took the risk of building infrastructure in undeveloped Costa Rica.
Why Building Through Costa Rica Was Brutal Work
- Costa Rica's east was nearly impenetrable rainforest with almost no infrastructure before the 1870s, making any railroad construction extremely difficult.
- Dense jungle, constant rain, disease, and dangerous work caused local labor to quit and devastated early efforts.
Deadly Labor Sourcing For The Railroad
- Keith recruited thousands of foreign workers including Italians, Chinese, Europeans, prisoners from New Orleans, and later Jamaicans to finish the railroad.
- Hundreds died from tropical disease and conditions; only 25 of 700 pardoned prisoners survived to get freedom.