The 1788 Dolben Act: Britain's First Slave Ship Regulation

The 1788 Dolben Act: Britain's First Slave Ship Regulation

In 1788, a backbench MP named Sir William Dolben steered an unprecedented bill through Parliament: the first law to regulate conditions on British slave ships. This episode traces the Dolben Act from its origins in the abolitionist pamphlet war to its passage amid fierce Liverpool opposition. We look at how Sir William Dolben, guided by Thomas Clarkson's research and James Field Stanfield's testimony, set a maximum number of enslaved people per ship tonnage — a reform that saved thousands of lives, even as critics dubbed it 'the slave trade regulation bill.' We explore the act's limitations, its enforcement, and its legacy as the first parliamentary chink in the slave trade's armor. Along the way, we meet the naval officer-turned-inspector John Reeves, the Liverpool ship owners who evaded the rules, and the African victims whose suffering the law aimed to reduce. A story of incremental change in a brutal system. #SirWilliamDolben #DolbenAct #SlaveTradeRegulation #ThomasClarkson #JamesFieldStanfield #MiddlePassage #Liverpool #WilliamWilberforce #JohnReeves #PrivyCouncil #1788 #Abolition #BritishParliament #SlaveShip #Reform #History #FexingoHistory #18thCentury Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Gustavus Vassa: The African Who Chronicled the Middle Passage

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the extraordinary life of Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, who was kidnapped from what is now Nigeria as a child, survived the Middle Passage, purchased his own freedom, and became a leading abolitionist in 18th-century Britain. They discuss his enslavement in Virginia and the Caribbean, his service in the Royal Navy, his travels from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, his conversion to Christianity, and his pivotal role in the British abolition movement through his bestselling autobiography, 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African'. The episode delves into the debates over his birthplace, his meeting with Granville Sharp, his involvement in the Sierra Leone settlement, and his campaign to present his book to Parliament. Equiano's story provides a firsthand account of the slave trade's brutality and the resilience of those who fought against it. #OlaudahEquiano #GustavusVassa #MiddlePassage #BritishAbolition #AtlanticSlaveTrade #InterestingNarrative #GranvilleSharp #SierraLeone #RoyalNavy #Igbo #Virginia #Montserrat #Philadelphia #FexingoHistory #History #18thCentury #Slavery #Abolitionism Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The 1839 Amistad Revolt: Africans Who Won Their Freedom in Court

In 1839, fifty-three Africans aboard the Spanish schooner La Amistad staged a desperate revolt, killing the captain and taking control of the ship. They demanded to be sailed back to Sierra Leone, but were instead tricked into American waters, where they were captured and put on trial for piracy and murder. This episode tells the story of the revolt, the legal battle that followed, and the extraordinary coalition of abolitionists, including former president John Quincy Adams, who fought for their freedom. We explore the roles of Joseph Cinqué, the Mende leader of the revolt; the complex legal arguments over property rights and natural law; and the eventual Supreme Court victory that allowed thirty-five survivors to return to Africa. The Amistad case became a symbol of resistance and a turning point in the American abolitionist movement, challenging the foundations of the slave trade and international law. #Amistad #JosephCinqué #JohnQuincyAdams #LaAmistad #Mende #SierraLeone #Abolitionism #SlaveRevolt #SupremeCourt #1839 #NewLondon #Cuba #Havana #SpanishSlaveTrade #LewisTappan #RogerBaldwin #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Haitian Indemnity: France's Price for Freedom

In 1825, France sent a fleet of warships to Haiti and demanded a huge payment in exchange for recognizing Haitian independence. Lucas and Luna dive into the story behind that debt: the 150 million francs, the Ordonnance of 1825, and how Jean-Pierre Boyer agreed to pay. They explore what led to the demand, how it crippled Haiti's economy for generations, and the complicated legacy of President Alexandre Pétion's early land reforms. They also touch on the modern campaign for restitution and the moral questions it raises. A focused look at a pivotal moment that shaped Haiti's troubled history. #Haiti #HaitianIndemnity #JeanPierreBoyer #CharlesX #Ordonnance1825 #AlexandrePétion #FrenchColonialism #SlaveryReparations #CaribbeanHistory #PostIndependenceDebt #HaitianRevolution #ToussaintLouverture #Dessalines #WorldHistory #Empire #EconomicHistory #SocialJustice #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Gold Coast Castles: Forts That Held the Atlantic Slave Trade

Lucas and Luna explore a corner of the Atlantic slave trade that the main revolt narratives rarely touch: the European-built castles and forts along Ghana's Gold Coast. They walk through Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle, describing the dungeons, the Door of No Return, and the logistics that made these stone fortresses the holding pens for millions of enslaved Africans before the Middle Passage. Lucas tells the story of how the Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Danes competed for the Gold Coast trade, how the castles operated as both trading posts and prisons, and what it meant for the African kingdoms—like the Denkyira, Fante, and Asante—who dealt with the Europeans. They touch on the legacy of these sites today, including Ghana's 1990s restoration and the 'Year of Return' tourism. The conversation also includes a brief, natural donation segment where Lucas and Luna reflect on why keeping the show ad-free matters. #GoldCoast #ElminaCastle #CapeCoastCastle #AtlanticSlaveTrade #GhanaHistory #DoorOfNoReturn #PortugueseEmpire #DutchWestIndiaCompany #RoyalAfricanCompany #AsanteEmpire #Fante #Denkyira #SlaveCastles #UNESCO #YearOfReturn #MiddlePassage #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]