This volume contains the complete texts of five black slave narratives of the 18th century. Included here are the writings of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, John Marrant, Ottobah Cugoano, Olaudah Equiano and John Jea.

While slave narratives are often excerpted and anthologized, they are rarely collected in their entirety. "Pioneers of the Black Atlantic "is the first anthology to include the complete texts of the five most important and influential narratives of the eighteenth century. Included here are the writings of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, John Marrant, Ottobah Cugoano, Olaudah Equiano, and John Jea.