This image is the cover for the book James DeWolf and the Rhode Island Slave Trade, American Heritage

James DeWolf and the Rhode Island Slave Trade, American Heritage

An unsettling story of corruption and exploitation in the Ocean State from slave ships to politics.


Over thirty thousand slaves were brought to the shores of colonial America on ships owned and captained by James DeWolf. When the United States took action to abolish slavery, this Bristol native manipulated the legal system and became actively involved in Rhode Island politics in order to pursue his trading ventures. He served as a member of the House of Representatives in the state of Rhode Island and as a United States senator, all while continuing the slave trade years after passage of the Federal Slave Trade Act of 1808. DeWolf's political power and central role in sustaining the state's economy allowed him to evade prosecution from local and federal authorities--even on counts of murder. Through archival records, author Cynthia Mestad Johnson uncovers the secrets of James DeWolf.

Cynthia Mestad Johnson

Cynthia Mestad Johnson earned an MA in history from California State University, San Marcos, and teaches U.S. history for the Oceanside Unified School District. She has been a guest speaker at the Bristol Historical and Preservation Society in Rhode Island for her historic research.

The History Press