For centuries, states have chosen to defend themselves, often as a last resort, by arming their slaves. At times, the practice has challenged the ideological underpinnings of society; in some cases, as in the Haitian Revolution, it has contributed to the downfall of prosperous regimes. This conference will shed light on the practice of arming slaves for national and imperial defense by examining the custom across boundaries of time and geography. We will also consider examples of the failure to arm slaves even at the peril of military defeat, such as in Revolutionary South Carolina and the Confederate States during the Civil War.

Please see our website for the list of speakers and commentators, and for registration, travel, and hotel information.