<
https://theconversation.com/remembering-the-black-abolitionists-of-slavery-in-yorkshire-168894>
"“Cunning better than strong” is a Jamaican proverb; a message of survival and
resistance that urges us to use our brain rather than our brawn to overcome
oppressors. It’s a proverb that is encapsulated by the Jamaican trickster folk
hero Anansi.
Anansi is of West African origin and became central to the oral tradition of
the enslaved in the Caribbean. When caught in a terrible situation, Anansi
would find his way out through intelligence, disguise, subterfuge and wit.
These tactics of survival and resistance were used by Black abolitionists Ellen
and William Craft and Henry “Box” Brown. Disguise and performance were central
to their escape from enslavement, political activism and appeal to white
audiences. Black abolitionists shared their experiences of enslavement to
change the hearts and minds of everyday people on both sides of the Atlantic.
However, their work is often obscured in the national narrative of Britain’s
role in slavery.
Since the abolition of the slave trade on March 25 1807, the historical
narrative has focussed on Britain’s role in abolition – rather than on the
depth of Britain’s involvement in the slave trade and plantation slavery. The
work of famous white abolitionists has long been applauded and highlighted, in
particular that of social reformer William Wilberforce.
Yorkshire was at the heart of the abolitionist movement in the UK, but this
focus on Wilberforce and his white peers has also meant that many prominent
Black abolitionists that visited the county, lecturing and staging anti-slavery
performances, have been long overlooked."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
