Review of Thornton's "Africa and Africans." (1998)
John Thornton, Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World, 1400-1800 (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pgs. 340.
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John Thornton (1949-present) is a professor of History at Boston University. An early modern Africanist historian, his work has pushed to reassert the vital role that African peoples played in the creation of the Atlantic World and the Atlantic slave trade. He positions African peoples in the early modern period as coming from positions of strength in their interactions with Europeans, rather than being passive victims to superior Europeans. His work Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World (1998), clearly articulates this view and provides a powerful exploration of the creation of the early Black Atlantic World.
As a book, that in my opinion ought to be studied more thoroughly by all levels of scholars, Thornton’s work has helped push a generation of scholarship that reconsiders Africa as a crucial part of the Atlantic world. This complex study may make some readers uncomfortable, particularly as it rejects simplistic heroic narratives that populate many discussions of the slave trade. Rather than portray Black Africans as passive victims of a superior and evil white European empires, Thornton challenges scholars to explore the actual cultures of Africa and the power that they held against Europeans.
Several notes on the style of the book. Divided into two parts with eleven chapters, this book is balanced, particularly in the first part between primary and secondary sources. While much of the primary source material is from European sources, Thornton is careful to extract African voices without replicating outsider biases that could infuse European sources. He also includes a map section at the beginning of his work with a thorough list of sources to document why he designed his maps as he did. It is rare for historians to include primary source citations with their maps, but I found this not only to be refreshing but powerfully convincing. The map section at the beginning of the book, combined with his sincere and humble intro (Thornton acknowledges his study by no means is the final word on this important topic) and his methodological framing illustrate a careful historian who is well aware of the limitations of his craft. Thornton demonstrates a deep engagement with the then current literature as at the start of each chapter the reader is briefly walked through the debates in the field. These introductions are valuable and allow the reader to clearly see what Thornton’s arguments are.
Part I deals with African politics, economics, and culture from the 1400s through the start of the 18th century. This section has several core arguments that guide the framing of the five chapters. First, Thornton views Africans as not only equals in trade relations, but that often they were superior and dictated to Europeans the terms of trade. Europeans did not force their way into Africa, but rather were allowed to enter and access trade networks (including the slave trade) that was already well established and profitable. Africans did not need Europeans or their goods, but rather welcomed the trade as a means of bringing in luxury products. Furthermore, Thornton is emphatic that Africans already had begun to blend European and African cultures long before the Middle Passage. This section is heavily sourced and powerfully illustrates that power and eagerness of Africans to participate in the Atlantic world.
The arguments Thornton makes are powerful, but, at least from my studies, are a fairly uncommon way when compared to the narrative frameworks used by many Atlantic historians. The vast majority of historical narratives depict Africa as being brutally exploited and manipulated by Europeans. Africa at times is even almost depicted in a mythical manner as a land of innocence, an almost Garden of Eden state free from the vices and evils of European life. Africans are egalitarian and if slavery is present, it is familial and far less exploitative than European models. Africa also is presented as a largely static and stable cultural location with similar cultures dotting the entire West African coast that remain consistent throughout the centuries.
To some extent, Thornton agrees with the sentiment that African slavery was different, though he notes that the entire African state system was built on slavery and only functioned when exploiting slaves for profit. However, Thornton rejects any notion of a backwards or mythical Africa. He notes that African polities made decisions based on political, economic, and even religious reasons that were in their best interest. He finds multiple cultures, with distinctive ways of interacting with Europeans that helped to develop Atlantic world trade and culture. As he importantly notes, “When examined from its organizational dimension, then, African trade with Europe was very much the mirror image of European trade with Africa.” (pg. 54) Thornton is able to demonstrate numerous similarities between African and European development that certainly dismantle any notions of an “egalitarian” Africa. African leaders were willing to go to war, enslave, manipulate, misrule, and engage in exploitative economics as readily as Europeans.
Part II is where Thornton shifts his gaze across the Atlantic and examines the blending of African cultures into what would be the Black Atlantic. Largely reliant on secondary sources, this section is not as strong as Part I. Thornton agrees that in building the Black Atlantic the “common experience” (pg. 154) of the Middle Passage was essential. However, he argues that the breakdown in African culture did not occur till the arrival of the enslaved at the plantation. Even there, he finds that African cultures frequently remained intact, though they quickly became altered, especially with the growth of a creole generation of African Americans who fostered an increased blend of Euro-Afro traditions. Thornton’s emphasis on culture allows for a world in which change and shifting ideas and identities are possible. He even grants an entire chapter to the role of religion and takes seriously the beliefs of the people of the past, something I highly applaud. His final chapter sketches a brief history of 18th century Africa and suggests that once again, it was African decision making, rather than European force, that led to an increased growth in the slave trade. That is not to say European factors were irrelevant. In fact, European demand for slaves only increased profits for various African states. However, Thornton remains unconvinced that European demand dramatically changed the political and economic development of West Africa.
Some areas that Thornton was less convincing in was his description of the system of slavery in Africa. Framing it as less violent has since been shown to not be the most accurate representation of African slavery. While different than chattel slavery in the Americas were race came to dominate slavery, African slavery could be every bit as othering and exploitative as other slaveries. Some may also balk at Thornton’s usage of European sources to describe Africa, however, his usage is careful and he integrates African sources as much as possible.
Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World is a tour de force that ought to have changed the way many Americanist historians frame the Atlantic world. Unfortunately, at least from my readings so far as a graduate student, much of Thornton’s contributions have not trickled into current discussions of the Atlantic world. While certainly some groups of historians have expanded and built upon this valuable scholarship, far too many seem to emphasis a “superior" European narrative in which Europeans force Africans to become complicit in the trade (see for example Rediker’s The Slave Ship). I find this less persuasive than the extensive research of Thornton and later scholars such as Stilwell (see here).1
This was a fascinating and well developed book, one which takes seriously the role of Africans in the creation of the Atlantic world. Far more complex than many narratives, this book should be a foundational text which can be employed in graduate seminars to help students begin thinking with fresh eyes on the history of the Atlantic world.
Robert Swanson
In no way shape or form should this be seen as a defense of European slaving practices. While I believe it is important to take people in their time and place, it does not change the fact that slavery was sinful. As stated by the prophet historian Mormon, “
…The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. (Mormon 7: 16-17)
I believe that all mankind, when born has a sense of right and wrong. (see also: Doctrine and Covenants 93:28-40; Doctrine and Covenants 84:45-46) Now, cultures and experiences may distance a person from that light, but that does not change the fact that evil acts are wrong. Slavery has been condemned by Christ when He stated, “Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.” (Doctrine and Covenants 101: 79, though not all generations have lived up to this command and lived lesser laws). While I let God be the judge, I still can say that past actions were wrong. However, by telling myths of an innocent Africa obscures history and prevents us from seeing the truth. I am still not sure what all the implications are of what I have been reading. But, as often is posted on this review, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31)