Black narratives of slavery and Black cultural production

Abstract This chapter identifies the beginning of slavery as a pivotal founding moment in American history, tying the nation’s birth to the emergence of chattel slavery and its enduring legacies. It examines how Black perspectives, often omitted from mainstream narratives, reshape understandings of slavery, race, and racial capitalism as interlocking forces that build the nation. It argues that various forms of Black cultural production emphasize Black people’s experiences and perspectives to critique white supremacy and anti-Black racism, and to disrupt dominant historical myths that underappreciate slavery and its enduring impacts. These narratives of slavery expose how the afterlives of slavery continue to live in racism, inequality, and other forms of structural disenfranchisement. Finally, the chapter positions Black narratives of slavery as essential archives for understanding America’s past, present, and future.