The Driver’s Story

In The Driver’s Story, Randy M. Browne explores the complex role of enslaved Black drivers in the Atlantic slavery system from the seventeenth-century Caribbean to the wider Americas. These individuals, tasked with supervising and punishing their fellow enslaved laborers, navigated a precarious existence as they enforced labor discipline while also striving to protect their communities. Browne highlights the drivers' vital position in enslaved people's lives, revealing their efforts to negotiate rights, foster belonging, and occasionally lead uprisings against the oppressive system they were meant to uphold. This compelling narrative enriches our understanding of the dynamics between enslavers and the enslaved during a pivotal historical moment.