In 'De Instauranda Aethiopum Salute' (1627) -- the earliest known study of African slavery in the colonial Americas -- Jesuit priest Alonso de Sandoval described dozens of African ethnicities, their languages and beliefs, and provided an exposé of the abuses of slaves in the Americas. This collection of previously untranslated selections from Sandoval's book is an invaluable resource for understanding the history of the African Diaspora, slavery in colonial Latin America, and the role of Christianity in the formation of Cartagena de Indies. A general introduction and headnotes to each selection provide cultural, historical, and religious context; copious footnotes identify terms and references that may be unfamiliar to modern readers. A map and an index are also provided.