The Last Slave Ships

The transatlantic slave trade (but not slavery itself) was outlawed in the US by the early 1800s, but illegal slave trade persisted. In fact, New York became a hub for slavers into early 1860’s. Spies like Emilio Sanchez exposed slavers to authorities, which led to a number of interceptions and trials, but ultimately, a strong governmental response to the trade is what stamped it out for good. Guest: John Harris, Assistant Professor of History at Erskine College and author of "The Last Slave Ships: New York and the End of the Middle Passage"