Dan Snow's History Hit

The Demerara Uprising and Britain’s Legacy of Slavery

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Episode notes

The Demerara Rebellion of 1823 was an uprising of over ten thousand enslaved people in the Crown colony of Demerara-Essequibo (now part of Guyana) on the coast of South America. Having grown tired of their servitude, the enslaved sought to resist in the most direct way they could. The rebellion took place on August 18, 1823, and grew to become a key trigger in the abolition of slavery across the empire.

Author Thomas Harding joins Dan on the podcast to chart the lead-up to the uprising in the British colony, right through to the courtroom drama that came about as a consequence. They also discuss vital questions about the legacy that the British have been left with and whether generations of those who benefited from slavery need to acknowledge and take responsibility for White Debt.

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