You are warmly invited to the launch of José Lingna Nafafe's new book, Lourenço da Silva Mendonça and the Black Atlantic Abolitionist Movement in the Seventeenth Century, next Tuesday at 4.30pm in the Research Space, Humanities Building, Room 1.H020.  

In this important new work published by Cambridge University Press, José focuses on the court case that Lourenço da Silva Mendonça, an Angolan prince, took to the Vatican in 17thC to argue for the abolition of Atlantic slave trade. The court case not only included Black Africans, but also New Christians & Native Americans. Mendonça accused the nations involved in Atlantic slavery, including the Vatican, Italy, Spain and Portugal, of committing crimes against humanity. In his address to the Vatican Mendonça questioned the institution of Atlantic slavery, using four core principles to bolster his argument: Human, Natural, Divine, and Civil Laws. Lingna Nafafé argues that Mendonça’s relationship with New Christians, Native Brazilians and other Africans was central to a distinct case for universal human rights, liberty and humanity.  

All are welcome!