The African diaspora is widely recognized as one of the world's major diasporas. Most of the existing studies of it have focused almost exclusively on the Atlantic world, ignoring the other key dimensions of this huge phenomenon. Here, Edward Alpers presents a truly global treatment of this subject where the Atlantic diaspora, including the US and UK, continues to be central, but in which serious attention is also paid to its Mediterranean and Indian Ocean implications.

In this book Alpers explores:

• where and how Africans came to find themselves scattered across very different world regions
• the extent to which, and means whereby, they have retained their Africanicity
• their struggles to establish recognition for themselves as Africans in diaspora.

Beginning with a general history of the African diaspora before, during and after the slave trade, this enlightening book, ideal for students of African studies, race and ethnicity studies and history, looks at the lives of diasporic communities from slavery to emancipation and in the colonial and postcolonial worlds.