Image of Sierra Leone, as shown on www.slaveryimages.org, compiled by Jerome Handler and Michael Tuite, and sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and the University of Virginia Library

One of the most detailed books on the journey of an 18th century transatlantic slave ship has been completed by historian Dr Sean Kelley from the University of Essex.

The Voyage of the Slave Ship Hare: A Journey into Captivity from Sierra Leone to South Carolina uses meticulous research to shed new light on the reality of the slave trade.

Most importantly Dr Kelley carefully tracks the group of more than 55 African slaves transported by the Hare from their purchase in Africa in 1754 to their sale in South Carolina in 1755.

In tracing their complete journey, Dr Kelley provides rare insights into the lives of slaves, the impact of the African diaspora and its influence on the formation of African American culture.

Dr Kelley said: “I am really excited to share my research with the public and other academics. The book brings a slave ship’s journey to life and gives a clear view of what the slave trade was like. I think it will really open people’s eyes to what life was like on a slave ship.”

The book looks at how the slave trade operated and re-creates the experiences of the key people involved. The journey of the ship is reconstructed as Dr Kelley details everything from the identities of the captain and crew to their wild encounters with inclement weather, slave traders, and near-mutiny.

Dr Kelley came up with the idea for the book after completing research which involved tracking illegally imported African slaves. He was so frustrated there wasn’t enough information to determine where these people came from that he set himself the challenge to find the evidence which would reveal the origins, language, and struggles of the slave trade’s victims.

He added: “I am hoping the book will appeal to the general public as well as academics because of the detailed information and reconstructions it offers. Slavery is one of history’s most tragic events and the largest forced migration of human beings. It transformed many countries and my book traces the captives’ experiences. It shows the cultural influence they had and their attempts to stay in contact with each other and maintain their own culture.”

• Read The New York Times article which mentions Dr Kelley's work on legacy of slave trade in America

Leading historian Dr Sean Kelley talking about his new book from University of Essex on Vimeo.