“All the baubles that they needed”: “Industriousness” and Slavery in Saint-Louis and Gorée

African and Eur-African women, known as signares, played pivotal roles in the slave trade and gum trade along the Senegambian coast during the 18th century. Through their entrepreneurial efforts, they provisioned slave traders, managed enslaved labor, and accumulated significant wealth and property, including real estate and slaves. This study highlights their contribution to the development of Atlantic consumer culture and capitalism, challenging traditional narratives by emphasizing their industriousness and economic agency. The research draws on historical records, such as wills and probates, to illustrate the complexities of their roles in the transatlantic slave trade.

Everill, B. (2017). “All the baubles that they needed”: “Industriousness” and Slavery in Saint-Louis and Gorée. Early American Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 15(4), 714–739. https://doi.org/10.1353/eam.2017.0026