Join the Virginia Club of New York for a virtual lecture with Professor Justene Hill Edwards on Slavery and Racial Capitalism in America.

The relationship between slavery and the rise of capitalism in the United States has become an increasingly popular—and controversial— topic among historians over the past decade. The central question is this: How did slavery, and the labor of enslaved people, contribute to American economic growth between the American Revolution and the Civil War? Moreover, how did the experiences of almost four million enslaved people in the United States on the eve of the Civil War influence the rise of capitalism in America, particularly during the nineteenth century?

Professor Justene Hill Edwards will explore the history of slavery and capitalism in America. She will discuss how examining this period in American history can help us better understand our current moment, from the prison industrial complex to racial and economic inequality. Justene is an Assistant Professor in the Corcoran Department of History at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Following her lecture, there will be a period of audience Q&A.

Registrants will receive the Zoom link via email prior to the event. We ask that participants register by 12:00 p.m. the day of the event.

If you have questions, email us at uvanyc@uvanyc.org.

RSVP here