Converting Enslaved Women in the West Indies
摘要
This chapter examines the pivotal role of Black enslaved women in the growth of the Moravian Church in the Danish West Indies during the eighteenth century. It explores how these women, who represented a majority of the early converts, contributed to the Church’s expansion, particularly on the islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. The analysis draws attention to the gender imbalance in these congregations, where women outnumbered men in baptismal and communing records, and their significant involvement in religious practices despite their enslaved status. The chapter highlights the personal letters and written records by Black women, which provide valuable insights into their experiences and roles within the Church. These records, often dictated in Dutch Creole, reveal intimate connections and illustrate the agency Black women had in shaping their faith and participation in the Moravian community. By focusing on the voices of these women, the chapter challenges traditional narratives of Black Christianity and missionary work, emphasizing their central role in sustaining and leading the Moravian missions in the Caribbean. It also situates their contributions within the broader context of colonial power dynamics, showing how gender, race, and religion intersected in the early Moravian missions. The chapter underscores the need to reevaluate the historical erasure of Black women’s agency in missionary contexts.