Kevin P. McDonald, ’94, is hooked on pirates. In his recently published book, Pirates, Merchants, Settlers and Slaves: Colonial America and the Indo-Atlantic World, he explores the hidden world of piracy and the surprising ways in which those scurvy dogs helped develop trade network across oceans. McDonald is an assistant professor of history at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Have you always been interested in pirates? How did you find this story specifically?
My interest in pirates dates to my childhood, growing up at the Jersey Shore. It was more of an interest in ships and the ocean itself as a space of mystery. This project took off in graduate school. I was reading through the published archives of the colony of New York, and these pirates kept appearing as key figures. From there, my research took me to Madagascar, where the pirates formed settlements.
You write in your book of the "spectrum of piracy." What does that spectrum look like?
Piracy was one of many maritime-based practices. Other vocations included slaving, wrecking, cutting tropical wood, even exploring. On one end of the continuum is the hardcore pirate or lifer, and on the other, a sailor who commits a single act of piracy.
What might people be surprised to learn about pirates during the colonial era?
Pirates were fundamental in the economic and military functioning of many English colonies, especially in their early stages of development. They served a naval function before there were formal navies. Pirates were a deterrent against invasion from competing empires.
You argue that pirates played a big role in the development of Indo-Atlantic trade. Why does that matter?
There's a notion that pirates were illegitimate outlaws, but in fact, these pirates were crucial middlemen in the Indo-Atlantic trade.
And how did slaves factor into Indo-Atlantic trade?
Slaves were both a prime commodity to be traded and skilled laborers. They sailed as crew members as coopers, cooks, and interpreters and they worked the local waters in and around New York Harbor. Some of these slaves earned their freedom by their participation, and in some cases, their testimony against the pirates and merchants.
What are the origins of the fictionalized, Hollywood conception of pirates? Do you cringe when you see those depictions? Are there any accurate depictions?
The fictionalization began with Treasure Island (1883). We get the treasure map, the peg leg, the parrot, the eye patch. These were literary inventions. Pirates did not bury their loot; they distributed it and spent it as soon as they reached a friendly port. Robert Newton invented the stereotypical “yarrggghhhhh" in the Disney live-screen adaptation of Treasure Island (1950). I do admire Johnny Depp's portrayal of Jack Sparrow, though he is far too pretty to be a real pirate.
Are pirates just misunderstood?
To some degree, absolutely. Many pirates were intimately connected with colonial ports and towns. They were born in the colonies, had families, wives, and children. They committed acts of piracy but were not necessarily committed to a life of piracy. They liked to drink, but so did the colonists. Even children drank beer or hard cider because of the poor water quality.
Damian Hondares is a senior majoring in journalism and American studies. He briefly considered becoming a pirate as a kid.
