The Side Effects of Immunity: Malaria and African Slavery in the United States

Elena Esposito

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 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.

JEL-codes: I12 J23 J47 N31 N37 N91 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1257/app.20190372

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