Our Man in Charleston

[L Verge]

I followed a little bit more on the slave trade in Brazil and found that it was in even higher numbers than the US. Over 4 million slaves were imported from Africa beginning in the mid-1400s with the Portuguese. This did not include the native slave trade between tribes that had gone on previously. Slave trade was abolished in 1850 - largely due to the naval power of the British - but the institution of slavery continued until 1888. Brazil was the last nation in the Western world to abolish slavery.

Much of the early slave trade was encouraged by the Jesuit missionaries who went to the area to convert the natives. This reminded me of that Order's influence in the colonies, especially in my home territory of Maryland.

After the Civil War, despite warnings not to by Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee, between 10,000 and 20,000 defeated Confederates emigrated to Brazil because it reminded them of their homes in the Deep South. Once Reconstruction ended, many came back to the U.S., but there is still an active "American" citizenry in that country. First Lady Rosalyn Carter had a great-uncle who was one of the first Confederados to head to Brazil. Several years ago, we had a family visit Surratt House from Brazil, and they were descendants of those Confederates also - and very proud of it.