Colonial rule started with an endless succession of small, but often brutal, wars of conquest, the moral justification for which was that the European conquerors were bringing 'civilization' to 'darkest Africa'. An intrinsic part of this so-called 'civilizing mission' was the eradication of slave raiding, slave trading and slavery, all of which were widespread on the continent.
Some of the studies in this book are on areas where there has been little research, such as the German colonies and the Algerian Sahara. Others throw new light on questions already debated, such as emancipation on the Gold Coast. Some focus on the impact of abolition on particular groups of slaves. Among the themes considered is the role of slaves in their own emancipation, the short and long term results of abolition, the role of the League of Nations, and the vestiges of slavery in Africa today.