Backcountry Slave Trader

Two ‘hot’ topics in history today are the too-long neglected story of the internal slave trade—a massive forced migration of people across the South—and slavery’s role in the development of capitalism. William James Smith’s ledger helps us understand both by showing how a small-time capitalist slave trader plied his trade, something historians have rarely explored. In Backcountry Slave Trader, therefore, the Racines make an invaluable primary source readily available. And they do much more. They provide a deft discussion of the social and cultural context in which Smith operated and an insightful analysis of what his ledger and letters reveal about the internal slave trade. -- Gaines M. Foster, Louisiana State University
The American domestic slave trade was a very lucrative and disturbing business that was economically beneficial to the slave seller, the buyer, and the middleman. In Backcountry Slave Trader: William James Smith’s Enterprise, 1844–1854, Philip N. Racine and Frances M. Racine draw from the ledgers of the upcountry slave trader William James Smith to reveal how he used labor market information, cultivated close ties with slave owners and sellers, made wise decisions in purchasing slaves for resale, and applied sound fiscal management techniques, all of which contributed to his success in the trafficking of enslaved individuals. Backcountry Slave Trader is an interesting read filled with fascinating and controversial insights into a complex business venture. -- Orville Vernon Burton, Clemson University