For generations, the narrative of slavery in the Americas has centered on the transatlantic trade of African people. However, a growing body of scholarship is revealing a far more complex and disturbing history: the widespread enslavement of Indigenous peoples, a practice that predates and often paralleled the African slave trade. Novel research, spearheaded by initiatives like Native Bound Unbound, is bringing to light the brutal realities faced by Native Americans forced into labor, challenging long-held assumptions about the history of bondage in the Western Hemisphere.
The scope of Indigenous enslavement is only now beginning to be fully understood. From the earliest Spanish conquests through the 19th century, Native Americans were bought, sold, and exploited across the Americas. This wasn’t simply a byproduct of conflict; it was a systematic practice woven into the fabric of colonial economies. Understanding Indigenous slavery expands our understanding of the history of human bondage—who its victims were, where it took place, and when it ended.
The Scale of Exploitation
Historical records demonstrate the extensive involvement of prominent figures in the enslavement of Indigenous people. Christopher Columbus himself sold hundreds of Indians into slavery in Europe, setting a precedent for future exploitation. Hernán Cortés, the conquistador who overthrew the Aztec empire, owned hundreds of enslaved Indigenous people, reportedly more than anyone else in Mexico. This wasn’t limited to Spanish colonizers; the practice extended to British colonies and beyond.
The exploitation wasn’t always overt. Often, Indigenous people were forced into systems of debt peonage or coerced labor disguised as religious conversion. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, a significant uprising against Spanish rule in what is now New Mexico, was fueled not only by religious oppression but also by the widespread enslavement of Pueblo Indians. The revolt saw the destruction of missions and churches and a renunciation of Christian practices, representing a desperate attempt to reclaim freedom and cultural autonomy.
Unearthing Hidden Histories
The Native Bound Unbound project, launched in 2022 with a grant from the Mellon Foundation, is at the forefront of this historical reassessment. Led by historian Rael-Gálvez, the initiative aims to uncover records of enslavement across the Americas, building on decades of research into the experiences of enslaved Indigenous people in Colorado and New Mexico. Researchers are meticulously combing through archives, genealogies, and historical documents to piece together the lives of those who were forcibly displaced and exploited. “We have only just begun operate that will extend across generations,” Rael-Gálvez stated.
This research is revealing the interconnectedness of African and Indigenous slavery. Records demonstrate instances of both groups working side-by-side in Latin American mines as early as the 16th and 17th centuries. Marriage records from around Mexico City in the 16th century reveal unions between enslaved Africans and enslaved Indigenous people, highlighting the complex social dynamics of the time. Even in the United States, Boston newspapers in the early 19th century advertised the escape of both Indigenous and African slaves.
Beyond the Plantation: Diverse Forms of Enslavement
The experience of Indigenous enslavement wasn’t limited to plantation labor. Researchers have uncovered stories of individuals like Spence Johnson, a Choctaw man captured in Oklahoma and sold into slavery in Louisiana after the Civil War, eventually finding freedom and settling in Waco, Texas. The story of Johnson illustrates the diverse pathways of enslavement and the resilience of those who endured it.
Figures like Francisco Martí y Torrens, a Cuban slave trader who operated in both Africa and Mexico, demonstrate the transatlantic nature of the slave trade and the interconnectedness of African and Indigenous exploitation. According to Julio Rojas Rodríguez, a doctoral candidate at El Colegio de México, individuals like Martí underscore the fact that African and Indigenous enslavement “are part of the same sizeable story—the story of slavery, the slave trade, and the replacement of slavery by new forms of coercive labor.”
Challenges to Recognition and the Path Forward
Despite growing scholarship, the history of Indigenous enslavement remains largely absent from mainstream narratives. As historian Philip Deloria of Harvard noted on the podcast “Native America Calling,” it has been “very hard to think about the ways that People can expand the narrative of Indigenous enslavement.” Deloria points out that the dominant image of slavery remains rooted in the plantation system of the American South, obscuring the broader and more complex history of bondage in the Americas.
The work of Native Bound Unbound and other researchers is crucial to rectifying this historical imbalance. By uncovering and sharing the stories of enslaved Indigenous people, they are challenging conventional understandings of slavery and prompting a more inclusive and accurate portrayal of the past. The ongoing research promises to reveal even more about the lives and experiences of those who were subjected to this brutal system.
As research continues, a more complete and nuanced understanding of Indigenous enslavement will emerge, forcing a reevaluation of colonial histories and the legacies of oppression that continue to shape the Americas today. The project’s long-term goal is to create a comprehensive database of enslaved Indigenous people, providing a valuable resource for researchers, educators, and descendants seeking to understand their heritage. Further investigation and continued dialogue are essential to fully acknowledge this hidden history and its lasting impact.
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