Philip D. Curtin
Encyclopedia
Philip De Armind Curtin was a Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University
and historian on Africa
and the Atlantic slave trade
. His most famous work, 1969's The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census was one of the first estimates of the number of slaves transported across the Atlantic Ocean between the 16th century and 1870, arriving at an estimate of 9,566,000 African slaves imported to the Americas. Although subsequent authors have disputed this figure; Joseph E. Inikori, for example, argues for an estimate of around 15 million, his work remains the most commonly cited. In addition, he also wrote about how many Africans were taken and from what location, how many were killed during the middle passage
, how many actually arrived in the Americas, and to what colonies/countries they were imported to.
, the site of a coal and timber company owned by his family. He attended Swarthmore College
, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1948, having taken a break of three years while he served in the United States Merchant Marine
during World War II
serving aboard ship as a radio operator. He did his graduate work at Harvard University
, earning a Master of Arts
degree in 1949 and was awarded his Ph.D.
in 1953. His doctoral dissertation, titled "Revolution and Decline in Jamaica, 1830-1865" addressed 19th-century history and economics of Jamaica
.
where he remained until 1956. He moved to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
where he taught from 1956 through 1975. There, Curtin and fellow historian Jan Vansina
established a department of African languages and literature in 1956, as part of one of the first academic African studies
programs established at a college in the United States. From 1975 until the time of his death he was a member of the faculty of Johns Hopkins University
.
Recognized in 1983 as a MacArthur Fellow with its accompanying "genius grant", Curtin published a total of 19 books, which include Death by Migration: Europe's Encounter with the Tropical World in the Nineteenth Century, described by the American Historical Review
(AHR) as "ground-breaking." In addition to the aforementioned calculation, he has challenged the commonly-held view that advances in medicine were responsible for increased attempts at European colonization of Africa
in the 19th century.
In his 1969 book The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census, Curtin researched the sources of frequently-used estimates of the number of individuals transported across the Atlantic Ocean in the slave trade. His analysis of shipping contracts and data from the ports of entry enabled him to arrive at an estimate of between 9 and 10 million individuals being transported on slave ship
s, with a margin of error of 20%, out of the 20 to 30 million that had been loaded aboard at ports in Africa. Prior to Curtin's research, estimates of the number of individuals brought from Africa as slaves ranged from 3.5 million to numbers as high as 100 million individuals. A widely cited number of 15 million slaves used by W. E. B. DuBois, who had in turn gotten the number from abolitionist Edward Dunbar. Another widely-quoted estimate of 20 million slaves was based on calculations using data on slaves in Jamaica that was adjusted for the entire Atlantic slave trade, though the original data used to make the calculations has since been lost.
His 1989 book Death by Migration combined medical and population history, tracking the effects of tropical diseases on Europeans in tropical Africa
in the days before medicines were available to effectively treat these conditions.
A controversial opinion piece published in a 1995 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education
titled "Ghettoizing African History" criticized the frequent confinement of African and African American scholars in college and university departments of history to positions in the history of Africa. Although Curtin mentioned that this practice might discourage some white academicians from entering the field, he in fact argued for more opportunities for scholars of African-American backgrounds in other, more numerous fields of history. His position was misunderstood at the time as a racial approach, and this misrepresentation has regrettably survived him.
While many visitors to Africa have been to Gorée Island
in Senegal
, described as a site where as many as 20 million Africans were fattened for shipment across the Atlantic Ocean from the Slave House after being shackled there in dank cells, Curtin debunked the traditional account, stating that "[t]he whole story is phony". Curtin stated that the Slave House, one of the most beautiful houses on the island, would not have been used for storing slaves, that the rocks near the shore would make docking boats perilous and estimated that no more than 50,000 slaves had passed through the island over the years. Senegalese academics criticized Curtin's position, stating that he was guilty of "stealing their history".
Books:
♦ The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census (1969)
♦ The Image of Africa: British Ideas and Action, 1780-1850 (1973, AHA Schuyler Prize)
♦ Africa and the West: Intellectual Responses to European Culture (1974)
♦ Precolonial African History (1975, AHA pamphlet)
♦ Economic Change in Precolonial Africa: Senegambia in the Era of the Slave Trade (1975)
♦ African History (co-author, 1978)
♦ Cross-Cultural Trade in World History (1984)
♦ Death by Migration: Europe’s Encounter with the Tropical World in the Nineteenth Century (1989)
♦ The Tropical Atlantic in the Age of the Slave Trade (1991, AHA pamphlet)
♦ Why People Move: Migration in African History (1995)
♦ The Rise and Fall of the Plantation Complex: Essays in Atlantic History (1998)
♦ Disease and Empire (1998)
♦ Migration and Mortality in Africa and the Atlantic World, 1700-1900 (2001)
♦ The World and the West (2002)
♦ On the Fringes of History: A Memoir (2005)
Doctoral Supervision (University of Wisconsin-Madison):
Doctoral Supervision (Johns Hopkins University):
, Curtin died at age 87 on June 4, 2009, in West Chester, Pennsylvania
, with pneumonia
cited as the cause of death. He was survived by his third wife, the former Anne Gilbert, as well as three sons and three grandchildren. His marriages to opera soprano Phyllis Curtin
and Patricia Romero both ended in divorce.
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and historian on Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Atlantic slave trade
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
. His most famous work, 1969's The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census was one of the first estimates of the number of slaves transported across the Atlantic Ocean between the 16th century and 1870, arriving at an estimate of 9,566,000 African slaves imported to the Americas. Although subsequent authors have disputed this figure; Joseph E. Inikori, for example, argues for an estimate of around 15 million, his work remains the most commonly cited. In addition, he also wrote about how many Africans were taken and from what location, how many were killed during the middle passage
Middle Passage
The Middle Passage was the stage of the triangular trade in which millions of people from Africa were shipped to the New World, as part of the Atlantic slave trade...
, how many actually arrived in the Americas, and to what colonies/countries they were imported to.
Early life and education
Curtin was born in Philadelphia on May 22, 1922, and grew up in Webster Springs, West VirginiaWebster Springs, West Virginia
Webster Springs is a town in Webster County, West Virginia, United States. Although it was incorporated as Addison in 1892, it is more frequently referred to as Webster Springs, the name of the town's post office. It was named as such for Addison McLaughlin, upon whose land the town was originally...
, the site of a coal and timber company owned by his family. He attended Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1948, having taken a break of three years while he served in the United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
serving aboard ship as a radio operator. He did his graduate work at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, earning a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1949 and was awarded his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1953. His doctoral dissertation, titled "Revolution and Decline in Jamaica, 1830-1865" addressed 19th-century history and economics of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
Academic career
After graduation, he began teaching at Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
where he remained until 1956. He moved to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
where he taught from 1956 through 1975. There, Curtin and fellow historian Jan Vansina
Jan Vansina
Jan Vansina is a historian and anthropologist specializing in Africa. He is the foremost authority on the history of the peoples of Central Africa.-Biography:...
established a department of African languages and literature in 1956, as part of one of the first academic African studies
African studies
African studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and societies of Africa .The field includes the study of:Culture of Africa, History of Africa , Anthropology of Africa , Politics of Africa, Economy of Africa African studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and...
programs established at a college in the United States. From 1975 until the time of his death he was a member of the faculty of Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
Recognized in 1983 as a MacArthur Fellow with its accompanying "genius grant", Curtin published a total of 19 books, which include Death by Migration: Europe's Encounter with the Tropical World in the Nineteenth Century, described by the American Historical Review
American Historical Review
The American Historical Review is the official publication of the American Historical Association, established in 1895 "for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of historical documents and artifacts, and the dissemination of historical research." It targets readers...
(AHR) as "ground-breaking." In addition to the aforementioned calculation, he has challenged the commonly-held view that advances in medicine were responsible for increased attempts at European colonization of Africa
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa or Partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914...
in the 19th century.
In his 1969 book The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census, Curtin researched the sources of frequently-used estimates of the number of individuals transported across the Atlantic Ocean in the slave trade. His analysis of shipping contracts and data from the ports of entry enabled him to arrive at an estimate of between 9 and 10 million individuals being transported on slave ship
Slave ship
Slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of transporting slaves, especially newly purchased African slaves to Americas....
s, with a margin of error of 20%, out of the 20 to 30 million that had been loaded aboard at ports in Africa. Prior to Curtin's research, estimates of the number of individuals brought from Africa as slaves ranged from 3.5 million to numbers as high as 100 million individuals. A widely cited number of 15 million slaves used by W. E. B. DuBois, who had in turn gotten the number from abolitionist Edward Dunbar. Another widely-quoted estimate of 20 million slaves was based on calculations using data on slaves in Jamaica that was adjusted for the entire Atlantic slave trade, though the original data used to make the calculations has since been lost.
His 1989 book Death by Migration combined medical and population history, tracking the effects of tropical diseases on Europeans in tropical Africa
Tropical Africa
Although tropical Africa is most familiar in the West as depicted by its rain forests, this region of Africa is far more diverse. While the tropics are thought of as regions with warm to hot moist climates caused by latitude and the tropical rain belt, the geology of areas, particularly mountain...
in the days before medicines were available to effectively treat these conditions.
A controversial opinion piece published in a 1995 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is a newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty, staff members and administrators....
titled "Ghettoizing African History" criticized the frequent confinement of African and African American scholars in college and university departments of history to positions in the history of Africa. Although Curtin mentioned that this practice might discourage some white academicians from entering the field, he in fact argued for more opportunities for scholars of African-American backgrounds in other, more numerous fields of history. His position was misunderstood at the time as a racial approach, and this misrepresentation has regrettably survived him.
While many visitors to Africa have been to Gorée Island
Gorée
Île de Gorée Île de Gorée Île de Gorée (i.e. "Gorée Island"; is one of the 19 communes d'arrondissement (i.e. "commune of arrondissement") of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is a island located at sea from the main harbor of Dakar ....
in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, described as a site where as many as 20 million Africans were fattened for shipment across the Atlantic Ocean from the Slave House after being shackled there in dank cells, Curtin debunked the traditional account, stating that "[t]he whole story is phony". Curtin stated that the Slave House, one of the most beautiful houses on the island, would not have been used for storing slaves, that the rocks near the shore would make docking boats perilous and estimated that no more than 50,000 slaves had passed through the island over the years. Senegalese academics criticized Curtin's position, stating that he was guilty of "stealing their history".
Books:
♦ The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census (1969)
♦ The Image of Africa: British Ideas and Action, 1780-1850 (1973, AHA Schuyler Prize)
♦ Africa and the West: Intellectual Responses to European Culture (1974)
♦ Precolonial African History (1975, AHA pamphlet)
♦ Economic Change in Precolonial Africa: Senegambia in the Era of the Slave Trade (1975)
♦ African History (co-author, 1978)
♦ Cross-Cultural Trade in World History (1984)
♦ Death by Migration: Europe’s Encounter with the Tropical World in the Nineteenth Century (1989)
♦ The Tropical Atlantic in the Age of the Slave Trade (1991, AHA pamphlet)
♦ Why People Move: Migration in African History (1995)
♦ The Rise and Fall of the Plantation Complex: Essays in Atlantic History (1998)
♦ Disease and Empire (1998)
♦ Migration and Mortality in Africa and the Atlantic World, 1700-1900 (2001)
♦ The World and the West (2002)
♦ On the Fringes of History: A Memoir (2005)
Doctoral Supervision (University of Wisconsin-Madison):
Doctoral Supervision (Johns Hopkins University):
Personal
A resident of Kennett Square, PennsylvaniaKennett Square, Pennsylvania
Kennett Square is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World because mushroom farming in the region produces over a million pounds of mushrooms a year...
, Curtin died at age 87 on June 4, 2009, in West Chester, Pennsylvania
West Chester, Pennsylvania
The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester...
, with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
cited as the cause of death. He was survived by his third wife, the former Anne Gilbert, as well as three sons and three grandchildren. His marriages to opera soprano Phyllis Curtin
Phyllis Curtin
Phyllis Curtin is an American classical soprano who had an active career in operas and concerts from the early 1950s through the 1980s. She was known for her creation of new roles such as the title role in the Carlisle Floyd opera Susannah, Catherine Earnshaw in Floyd's Wuthering Heights, and in...
and Patricia Romero both ended in divorce.
External links
- Philip Curtin - Daily Telegraph obituary
- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/us/16curtin.html - New York Times
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/12/AR2009061203702.html - Washington Post
- http://gazette.jhu.edu/2009/06/22/obituary-philip-curtin-87-expert-on-african-comparative-world-history/ - JHU Gazette
- http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=H-Africa&month=0906&week=b&msg=0Q604yzqErIsc7cMIW4u9w - H-NET