The Making of Today: Tacky’s War, April-June 1760

On Easter Monday, April 7 1760, across the plantations of Jamaica recently enslaved Africans rose up in rebellion. Although technically several rebellions in one the iconography of the war came to surround one figure – a former warlord in what is now Ghana called Tacky. While not the first enslaved uprising in the Caribbean, or

Myths, Legends, and Faith: Anansi, the West African Trickster Spider

As I’m writing this post April Fools’ Day was a few days ago, so I thought it would be a good time to discuss one of the many trickster figures from myth and folklore across the world. Ranging from Hermes/Mercury of the Greco-Roman world; Loki of Norse mythology; Coyote from Navajo folklore; and Maui from

World History: The End of Slavery: Abolition, Rebellion, Successes, Failures

The symbol of abolition ‘Am I Not a Man and a Brother?’ Slavery has been a common stain on society throughout human history. Most societies which we have looked at on World History have practised slavery in some way or another, and the last time that we looked specifically at slavery was when we discussed