Slave trade and colonisation
Harry Johnston, an explorer and colonial administrator, was fluent in several African languages and wielded significant influence over British colonial policy. In the ‘British Central African Protectorate,’ he led battles against Muslim Swahili and Yao slave traders. His first map delineates the slave traders’ ‘hunting grounds,’ distinguishing them through light and dark grey shades.
A second map divides Africa into zones deemed suitable for colonisation. In regions considered ‘healthy’, Europeans could establish their own states. In contrast, areas that were not suitable for Europeans were considered candidates for ‘despotic European control’ and commercial exploitation.
H.H. Johnston, Slave Trade of Africa, in: A History of the Colonization of Africa by Alien Races, Cambridge 1899. Coll. S/T F.136, 20 x 27.5 cm.
H.H. Johnston, The Colonizability of Africa, in: A History of the Colonization of Africa by Alien Races, Cambridge 1899. Y. Salihine , 20 x 27.5 cm.
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