Overview
Uses the letters of Ignatius Sancho as a lens through which to analyse the British abolitionist movement
Analyzes the relationship between sensibility and anti-slavery in eighteenth-century Britain
Sheds light on British attitudes towards race and masculinity in the late-eighteenth century
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Table of contents (8 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
This book highlights the significant role played by Ignatius Sancho (c. 1729-80), the first black man to vote in England, in the British abolitionist movement. Examining the letters of Sancho, and especially his correspondence with the influential novelist and preacher, Laurence Sterne, the author analyses the relationship between sensibility and antislavery in eighteenth-century Britain. The book demonstrates how Sancho navigated the bawdy, riotous conditions of commercial London, which was the headquarters of a growing and war-torn Empire. It shows how Sancho mastered the fashionable and gendered language of the culture of sensibility, navigating the contemporary issues of race, slavery, and politics. The book also touches on the White metropolitan and colonial preoccupation with Black men’s sexuality, which was intensified by the Somerset decision of 1772. Sancho’s was a unique and influential voice in eighteenth-century Britain, making this book an insightful read for scholars of anti-slavery as well as gender, race and imperialism in British history.
Reviews
“At last, Ignatius Sancho receives the thoughtful, sympathetic assessment the pioneer Anglo-African writer long has deserved. An acknowledged master of eighteenth-century cultural history, Barker-Benfield brings to his subject interpretive flair and characteristic insight. With original contributions to the history of antislavery and to the history of sexuality in late eighteenth-century England, this eloquent study will hold its value for many years to come.” (Christopher L. Brown, Professor, Columbia University in the City of New York)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Ignatius Sancho and the British Abolitionist Movement, 1729-1786
Book Subtitle: Manhood, Race and Sensibility
Authors: G. J. Barker-Benfield
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37420-3
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: History, History (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-37419-7Published: 02 September 2023
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-37422-7Due: 16 September 2024
eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-37420-3Published: 01 September 2023
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: IX, 264
Number of Illustrations: 4 b/w illustrations, 2 illustrations in colour
Topics: Imperialism and Colonialism, History of Britain and Ireland, Ethnicity, Class, Gender and Crime, History, general, Social History