507 pp., hardback, d.w., Pretoria, 2007
Basing his account mainly on contemporary sources and providing as much information on individual slaves and their lives as possible, Karel Schoeman describes the first sixty years of the development of slavery at the Cape, the gradual manumission of slaves and the growth of a "free black" community.
Karel Schoeman is the author of many books of fiction and non-fiction, inlcuding "Armosyn van die Kaap: die wêreld van 'n slavin, 1661-1733" and "Kinders van die Kompanjie", a collection of 17th century Cape biographies.