Empire 57. Tacky's Revolt: An Atlantic Slave War
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Jun 15, 2023 
Vincent Brown, a Harvard professor and co-founder of Timestamp Media, dives into the gripping history of Tacky's Revolt, a pivotal uprising in Jamaica. He discusses Tacky’s crucial role as a leader and the social dynamics among enslaved people on sugar plantations. The conversation also explores Britain's reaction to the revolt and its impact on the abolitionist movement. Brown emphasizes the importance of remembering figures like Tacky and advocates for integrating the history of slavery into educational curricula to foster a deeper understanding of colonial legacies.
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Tacky's Arrival
- Tacky's origins are shrouded in mystery, more so than those of Apongo.
- He likely arrived in Jamaica as a young man and held a chieftain title in his homeland.
Tacky's Role as Driver
- Tacky held a leadership role, possibly as a driver, overseeing other enslaved people on a sugar plantation.
- Drivers, often chosen for prior leadership experience, had some privileges but enforced plantation brutality.
Gendered Labor
- Women played a substantial role in sugarcane planting, but men primarily occupied driver positions.
- Women sometimes oversaw second and third gangs which included children and other women doing lighter work.
