Join Dr. Michael Pregot for a discussion of his newest book, Slavery and Abolitionism on Cape Cod: A Massachusetts Incongruity. From the era of the Puritans right through to the end of the Revolutionary War, Boston was a central hub for the slave trade. Slaves were brought on board ships from the African coast with regularity, often mastered by Cape Cod sea captains. The number of slaves per household was much smaller in the Northeast as compared to the South, yet nonetheless, a much-needed labor force was desired, reaching its zenith when our nation first officially started.

After Massachusetts legally prohibited slavery practice in 1780, sea captains became engaged in a variety of ways within its continuance. There were some captains who brought slaves in surreptitiously, while others enhanced the slave market in other indirect ways. Polarizing lines were drawn up. The commonwealth’s maritime industry became quite divided, with some fighting for the cause of abolitionism and other captains wishing only to witness a very slow demise of this profitable endeavor.

This book discusses religious views, political platforms, economic factors, and social movements that existed during the pre-Civil War period. We gain an insight into the thinking of the day. Several profiles of notable Black slaves living in Massachusetts demonstrate the enormous contributions made to the overall growth of our country.