Class 5, Yale, Slavery, and the American Revolutionary Era

The podcast features a speaker discussing the history of slavery and its connections to Yale University, drawing from research for a book. The speaker begins by listing names of enslaved people connected to Yale's founders, faculty, and donors, highlighting the extensive involvement of these individuals in the slave trade. The discussion covers the Atlantic slave trade, its scale, and its impact on the Americas, with a focus on the sugar trade and its ties to New England. The speaker contrasts the views of Samuel Sewell and Jonathan Edwards on slavery, and explores the influence of the American Revolution on attitudes towards slavery at Yale, highlighting figures like Prince Duplex and Bristol Lambie. Finally, the speaker discusses Ezra Stiles's presidency and his efforts to move Yale towards Enlightenment ideals, while also acknowledging the complexities and contradictions of the university's historical relationship with slavery.