Description
A collection of 19th-century documents related to African slavery in Cuba. Documents include auction records, baptism records,
sale documents, and other legal records. By the middle of the 16th century, enslaved Africans were colonial Cuba's primary
source of labor after most of the indigenous population were killed by European diseases. Enslaved people endured forced family
separation, harsh manual labor, and sexual assault. Cuba participated in the transatlantic slave trade until 1867, longer
than any other region in the Americas.
Sources:
"African Slavery in Cuba - Manuscript Archival Collection." Description by Libros Latinos, 2019.
Childs, Matt D., and Manuel Barcia. "Cuba." In The Oxford Handbook of Slavery in the Americas, edited by Mark M. Smith and
Robert L. Paquette, Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199227990.013.0005.
Background
By the middle of the 16th century, enslaved Africans were colonial Cuba's primary source of labor after most of the indigenous
population were killed by European diseases. Enslaved people endured forced family separation, harsh manual labor, and sexual
assault. Cuba participated in the transatlantic slave trade until 1867, longer than any other region in the Americas. In 1880,
Cuba passed their Patronato Law that established a set date for the abolition of slavery. Under this law enslaved people were
required to complete an eight-year period of unpaid indentured servitude where formerly enslaved people were called patrocinados and enslavers were called patronos. Slavery in Cuba was not officially abolished by Spanish royal decree until 1886, two years before the original planned date
under Patronato Slavery.
Extent
2.5 linear feet
(2 flat boxes)
Restrictions
Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.