When the island of Krakatoa detonated in 1883, it produced the loudest sound in recorded human history, rupturing eardrums miles away and sending pressure waves circling the globe. Yet, the true revolution was not the geological violence of the eruption itself, but how the world learned about it. For the first time in human existence, an environmental catastrophe was broadcast internationally within hours. A rapidly expanding web of underwater telegraph cables allowed news of the devastati...

Workers in Brazil and the United States have followed parallel and entangled histories for many centuries. Recent experiences with progressive, popular presidents and authoritarian, populist presidents in the two most populous countries in the hemisphere have underscored important similarities. The contributors in this volume focus on the comparative and transnational histories of labor between and across Brazil and the United States. The countries’ histories bear the marks of slavery, rac...