Greetings Good People,

For those of you who may be new to this blog and aren’t familiar with my posts, I’m a student of African history—which, in essence, is world history. The main reason why is because so much of it has been hidden from the textbooks and whitewashed in our universities, so researching the truth has inadvertently become a life goal. And with the 24-hour availability of the internet along with other resources, that narrative is sure to change.

I want to share an important event that took place in Jamaica during the year 1760.

Tacky’s Rebellion

The Tacky War or Tacky’s Rebellion was a slave revolt/uprising from the Akan (Coromanti) slaves that occurred from May to July 1760, in Jamaica. It was one of the most significant slave rebellions in the Caribbean between 1733 and 1791, which included the Slave Insurrection on St. John and the Haitian Revolution. According to Understanding Slavery Initiative, the Africans from the “Gold Coast (now known as Ghana)” were often at the forefront of slave revolts in Jamaica during the 17th and 18th century; they were headed by the Akan, Ashanti, and Coromanti people.

The leader of the rebellion was Tacky (Akan spelling: Takyi). He was an overseer and Coromantee Chief from the Guinea area of the West Coast of Africa. The revolt took place on Easter Sunday before daybreak on Monday, with Tacky and his followers killing their masters and taking over the Frontier and Trinity plantations. After the success, they made their way to the storeroom at Fort Haldane, where Tacky and his men stole 4 barrels of gunpowder and 40 firearms before marching to overrun the plantations at Heywood Hall and Esher. And by dawn, hundreds of slaves had joined Tacky and his followers.

One of the slaves, however, slipped away to sound the alarm. “Soon there were 70 to 80 mounted militia on their way along with some Maroons from Scott’s Hall.” Many of the rebels returned to their plantation, but Tacky and 25 of his men decided to stay. Tacky and his men then went running through the woods while being chased by the Maroons and their Marksman, Davy. Davy ended up shooting Tacky and cut off his head to prove the fate; Tacky’s men were found in a cave near Tacky Falls, having committed suicide rather than going back into slavery.

I never heard about this rebellion until a few days ago, which fuels my passion to keep digging for more. You can visit the Tacky monument at Claude Stuart Park in Port Maria, Jamaica. And if you’re knowledgeable of this event and found any errors in my research, please correct me below.

Until Next Time…

(Sources)

Evans, B. (n.d.). Tacky’s Rebellion. Retrieved June 12, 2018, from http://jamaicans.com/tackys_rebellion/

Understanding Slavery Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2018, from http://www.understandingslavery.com/index.php-option=com_content&view=article&id=382&Itemid=244.html