Calvin Schermerhorn

Calvin Schermerhorn is a professor of history at Arizona State University and a scholar specializing in slavery, capitalism, and early American economic history. His research focuses on the intersection of business, finance, and human bondage in the 19th century United States. Schermerhorn's most notable works include "The Business of Slavery and the Rise of American Capitalism, 1815-1860" (2015) and "Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery" (2018). These books examine how slavery was integrated into American business practices and financial systems. His scholarship has contributed significantly to understanding how slavery functioned as a business enterprise and how human trafficking operated within legitimate commercial networks. Schermerhorn's work demonstrates how enslaved people were used as both labor and financial instruments in the development of American capitalism. He has received multiple awards for his research and regularly contributes to academic discussions about the economic dimensions of slavery. His teaching at Arizona State University encompasses courses on American history, capitalism, and the history of slavery.

Calvin Schermerhorn's books receive attention from academic readers and history enthusiasts. Reviews highlight his thorough research and detailed documentation of slavery's role in American capitalism. Readers praise: - Clear explanation of complex financial systems and business practices - Deep archival research - Connection of historical evidence to broader economic patterns - Accessible writing style for academic content Main criticisms: - Dense economic details can overwhelm general readers - Some sections read like academic papers rather than narrative history - Limited discussion of individual stories and experiences Ratings: "The Business of Slavery": - Goodreads: 4.1/5 (36 ratings) - Amazon: 4.5/5 (12 reviews) "Unrequited Toil": - Goodreads: 3.8/5 (24 ratings) - Amazon: 4.3/5 (8 reviews) One academic reviewer noted: "Schermerhorn effectively demonstrates how slavery and capitalism were inseparable in early America, though the financial details may challenge casual readers."

The Business of Slavery and the Rise of American Capitalism, 1815-1860 (2015) Examines how slave traders and their financial networks helped build American capitalism through the domestic slave trade.

Money over Mastery, Family over Freedom: Slavery in the Antebellum Upper South (2011) Analyzes how enslaved people in the Upper South navigated family relationships while facing sale to the Deep South cotton frontier.

Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery (2018) Chronicles American slavery from its colonial origins through emancipation, focusing on how enslaved people experienced and resisted the institution.

An Underworld of Commerce: The New York Slave Trade, 1837-1859 (2006) Details how New York merchants and bankers profited from financing the domestic slave trade despite slavery being illegal in their state.

Unfreedom: Slavery and Dependence in Eighteenth-Century Boston (2016) Explores how various forms of unfree labor, including slavery, shaped colonial Boston's economy and society.

Walter Johnson writes on slavery, capitalism and the American South focusing on the economic systems and financial aspects of human bondage. His research examines how enslaved people were used as financial instruments and collateral in the development of American capitalism.

Edward Baptist analyzes the relationship between slavery and the rise of American economic power with emphasis on cotton production and banking. His work traces how slavery funded American expansion and created modern financial and business practices.

Sven Beckert studies global cotton trade networks and capitalism's connection to forced labor systems in the 18th and 19th centuries. His research connects American slavery to international markets and industrial development across multiple continents.

Daina Ramey Berry focuses on gender and slavery with particular attention to how enslaved people were valued and priced in American markets. Her work examines slave trading, family separation, and the economic value assigned to enslaved bodies throughout their lives and after death.

Joshua Rothman investigates slave trading networks and the domestic slave trade in the antebellum South. His research reveals the business practices and social networks of slave traders while documenting the expansion of slavery into the Deep South.