The Archaeology of Antislavery Resistance

Book excerpt: "Weik's comprehensive survey of the archaeology of freedom represents a critical contribution to African Diaspora studies, and serves as an admirable standard to which future research in this area should strive to achieve."--Maria Franklin, University of Texas at Austin "Offers a fresh approach to understanding the varied ways in which enslaved people sought freedom."--Theresa Singleton, Syracuse University In the days of slavery, people of African descent sought to protect their human rights, escape from bondage, and combat exploitation. Their actions varied across different settings and times, and included accommodation, collaboration, autonomy, and militancy. This volume focuses on the evolution of antislavery resistance by examining material culture, documents, oral traditions, and other evidence that illustrate how enslaved people fought for their freedom. Terrance Weik presents readers with case studies accumulated from the material record left by Maroons in the Americas, Black Seminoles, and the Underground Railroad. He specifically highlights the way archaeologists' contributions have added to our understanding of struggles for freedom from slavery that were pursued by people of the African Diaspora in the Americas and their allies. Weik encourages readers to consider the global dimensions of antislavery resistance as well as issues that continue to spark debate today, including racism, cultural survival, self-determination, and inequality.