“Seeds of Slavery” by Joseph F. Baiden Shares Chilling Tale of West African Slave Trade

by Kathy Grear 02/05/2020

A West African native has written a new book that details the early years of the slave trade in Gold Coast, Africa. The historical novel, which begins in the 1600s, is based on true events, lending to its authenticity.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – Some men’s desire for money has the power to overrule common decency, especially those involved in trading people for gold. That was just as true in the 1600s as it is today. A new novel by Joseph F. Baiden tells the story of the early days of the slave trade in the Gold Coast of Africa.

“Seeds of Slavery” begins with business partners Samuel Hastings and Albert Dross, who want to earn their fortune in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Their unholy alliance has a ripple effect on families, cities, tribes and kings, spread across three continents and two centuries.

Although it’s a spellbinding and eye-opening fictional account, the book draws on real-life events for its inspiration. Baiden details the horrifying conditions at Pikworo Slave Camp and Cape Coast Castle. He also describes the nightmare that was the Middle Passage from Africa to the New World across the vast Atlantic Ocean, which killed thousands of West Africans who traveled like sardines in the holds of slave ships.

It’s not just Europeans who benefitted from the slave trade. Buyers were routinely helped by rival kings and tribal wars in gathering their own people or their enemies in exchange for money, European goods and power. The devastating effects of the slave trade halted economic development of an entire continent as well as disrupting the social organization of communities in addition to destroying families.

Joseph F. Baiden

Baiden wrote the novel to shed light on the almost unimaginable practice of humans selling other humans. “I would like to keep the history of human slavery alive in people’s minds so that we can avoid repeating our past mistakes,” he writes at the start of the book. “This novel exists to create awareness around the origins of slavery in Africa as well as the deep agony and despair it has inflicted.”

Kirkus Reviews praised Baiden for his debut novel: “Based on true events, the plot plumbs the kaleidoscopic complexity of slavery … a bold first novel that nimbly blends scenes of emotional drama with historical verisimilitude. An unflinching fictional exploration.” Baiden grew up in West Africa and loves to share African culture through stories. In addition to awareness, one reason he wrote the book is to answer questions for people who are curious about their African ancestors. He uses his storytelling to educate and entertain people.

For additional information, please visit www.Aburapublishing.com.