Pinkster King and the King of Kongo

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The book explores the overlooked history of the Dutch slave community and free Dutch-speaking African Americans from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century in New York and New Jersey. It offers a fresh perspective on the Pinkster celebration, traditionally seen as a carnival for a "slave king," arguing instead that it stems from mutual-aid and brotherhood traditions. By situating these practices within an Atlantic context, the author draws connections to royal election rituals in other slave communities and traces their origins to the ancient Kingdom of Kongo and Portuguese cultural influences.