Did you know that the first Portuguese ship to transport enslaved people from sub-Saharan Africa in 1455 also carried approximately 150 parrots? Indeed, the forced movement of the grey parrot from Africa over the past 500 years is closely linked to the history of economic exploitation on the continent. In her talk, Professor Nancy Jacobs traces the history of the African grey parrot from the 15th century to the present, showing how this intelligent and vocally talented bird interacted with humans to influence culture, fashion, and knowledge production in Africa. She also highlights how deforestation and, especially, the global illegal pet trade continue to commodify and threaten the very survival of this species.
Nancy Jacobs is a professor in the History Department of Brown University. A historian of South Africa, of colonial Africa, of the environment, of animals, and of knowledge about the environment and animals, her work seeks out workings of power in obscure corners: in a quiet South African town, in scientific collaborations, in a mysterious and forgotten diplomatic initiative, in everyday lives of Africans living under European rule, and in interspecies relationships.
Her books include “African History through Sources: Colonial Contexts and Everyday Experiences. c. 1850-1946,” “Birders of Africa: History of a Network,” and the forthcoming “The Global Grey Parrot.”
This virtual talk is open to the public.