It’s known that Native people were decimated by disease and war brought by Caucasian settlers to the Americas. What is not often talked about is how Native people were enslaved from the 16th through the 19th century by explorers and pioneers. Whereas America is finally starting to come to terms with the lasting effects of enslaving Africans, it has yet to note how the atrocities of slavery destroyed Native Americans at the same time.
Andrés Reséndez’s “The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America,” is a profound confrontation of America’s exploitation of Native Americans. It is a hard read, not because it is boring, but because it is a tall stack of brutality. Personal accounts from priests, merchants, and captives bring a heartbreakingly intimate tone to this narrative of colonization.
If you enjoy hidden histories and deep scholarship, put “The Other Slavery” on your to-read list.
— Patty Templeton
