The Book of Negroes

This interactive companion outlines the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and how

this is reflected and examined in Lawrence Hill’s award-winning novel and the

Television mini-series, The Book of Negroes.


The six-part mini-series follows the life of Aminata Diallo, a young African girl

kidnapped by slave traders and brought across the Atlantic to North America. In the

course of her long and hard life, Aminata is a witness to major events in the slave trade

and the history of Black North Americans.


Over seven chapters, the app provides a timeline of Black history from 1705 to the

present day. In addition, it explores the historical grounding of both the novel and series

in the original Book of Negroes historical document, which identified Black slaves who

fought for the British during the American Revolution.


Using images, videos, and interactive maps, the guide follows the far-reaching impact of

the trans-Atlantic slave trade. For educational settings, the guide features optional

discussion questions and further investigation of the various topics. An intuitive interface

allows users to swipe, tap, and scroll through chapters to engage with interactive

features in a linear or nonlinear fashion, and gain a deeper understanding of the

historical events portrayed in The Book of Negroes.