Richard Roberts

I am currently interested in the social history of everyday life during the 25 years surrounding French conquest of the interior of West Africa. I am especially interested in examining how colonial conquest and the establishment of colonial rule ushered in changes in African societies and economies. At the center of my current research is an international team of scholars and students collaborating on the Senegal Liberations Project based on analyzing the 28,500 enslaved people who sought their own freedom by presenting themselves to French colonial officials between 1857 and 1903.  Part of our goal is to launch a public-facing digital website to encourage researchers, students, and teachers to use this material to enhance the study of slavery and freedom in global perspective.