The Side Effects of Immunity: Malaria and African Slavery in the United States
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 14,
no. 3, July 2022
(pp. 290-328)
Abstract
This paper documents the role of malaria in the diffusion of African slavery in the United States. The novel empirical evidence reveals that the introduction of malaria triggered a demand for malaria-resistant labor, which led to a massive expansion of African enslaved workers in the more malaria-infested areas. Further results document that among African slaves, more malaria-resistant individuals—i.e., those born in the most malaria-ridden regions of Africa—commanded significantly higher prices.Citation
Esposito, Elena. 2022. "The Side Effects of Immunity: Malaria and African Slavery in the United States." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 14 (3): 290-328. DOI: 10.1257/app.20190372Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I12 Health Behavior
- J23 Labor Demand
- J47 Coercive Labor Markets
- N31 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
- N37 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: Africa; Oceania
- N91 Regional and Urban History: U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
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