American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
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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