We Slaves of Suriname

We Slaves of Suriname tells the history of the formation of the former Dutch colony of Suriname in South America from the perspective of Anton De Kom, the son of a slave who became a tireless resistance fighter and a member of the Communist Party after the German occupation of the Netherlands in 1940. A key account of decolonialist history, We Slaves of Suriname integrates the experience of Suriname’s oppressed, multiethnic people into the greater history of South America and adds to the narrative of struggles against slavery, imperialism, and racism. In his scathingly defiant account, De Kom translates his personal anger at the brutal legacy of the Dutch into a beautiful, passionate history and call-to-arms.

First published in Dutch in 1934, and later translated into Russian, German, and Spanish, the book now finally sees its English translation at a time when the people of Suriname are still struggling against the vestiges of colonialism.