Black Militancy: Cyclical or Thing of the Past

Black Militancy: Cyclical or Thing of the Past
“The concept that the protection of the basic, fundamental human rights of every person transcends local and national law is an earthmoving idea like the abolition of slavery, the phasing-out of colonialism, and the death of Apartheid.”...from Cry of the oppressed by Robert F. Drinan.
“Riot is the language of the unheard” . . . Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)

“The greatest slave revolts in the Western Hemisphere, except for the World-shaking revolution in Saint Domingue, took place in Guiana, and Jamaica, during every two years from 1731 to 1823 - that is, from the revolt in Berbice in 1731 to the massive revolt in Demerara in 1823. Berbice exploded, during the 1760's with revolts in 1762, 1763-1764 and 1767. Essequebo in 1731, 1741, and 1744. Demerara two in 1772, 1773, two in 1774-1775 which amounted virtually to full-scale civil war between the Black slaves, and Maroons on one side and the whites and Indians on the other” . . . Eugene D. Genovese, From Rebellion to Revolution, pages 33 and 34.


A few years ago, I accessed Eugene D. Genovese’s text, “From Rebellion to Revolution” in the Central Library of the Brooklyn Public Library system on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn in the city of New York. The content on pages 33 and 34 impressed upon my thought process to seek further sources of data, to explore the possibilities that there were numerous other discovered plots and/or failed revolts. Most of all what is the lesson to be derived from the ancestors in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and how best they could serve our need in the circumstances affecting our people in the present times. However, the most disturbing and/or unsettling thoughts arose. What transpired between 1621 and 1731 in the colonies of Essequebo and Berbice? What happened to Black Militancy between 1835 and 2009? If Genovese’s statement is accurate; if it is to be taken literarily; then there should be at least some 46 known slave revolts in the colonies of Essequebo, Demerara and Berbice between 1731 and 1823. However, historians have not informed the public of so great a number. Regardless of the actual amount of plots and revolts; one fact is irrefutable . . . it is astounding; Black people were oppressed. They responded in militaristic fashion as often as they could arrange such activities. It is clear intelligent people would make efforts to overthrow repressive regimes.

Slavery is as dehumanizing as it is repressive. It is a despotic authority exploiting people for financial gain. It is similar to the machinery of Heads of States and governments and all forms of criminal enterprise which subject people to exploitation, loss of life loss of freedom loss of limbs, for the benefit of a few members of the society - the ruling class.
Again, the misconceptions, which social scientists and commentators’ term stereotype are nothing but hogwash - jargons of sociopaths of ethnic conflicts and social degradation.
It is clear Africans in the colonies of Essequebo, Demerara and Berbice never depended on indentured laborers to voluntarily arrive in the colony of British Guiana, much less to bring them rice, marijuana, opium and their culture. It just does not make any sense. It is highly illogical. It is without merit. What is absolute is that from the days of the arrival of Africans in the colonies to Damon of Essequebo, the Blackman waged a continuous struggle to free themselves of bondage. This fact is undeniable. Every location in the Americas, black people waged wars to be free. They resisted enslavement as best they could. That’s factual. It is irresponsible. It is downright false to promote any thoughts that black People accepted their condition peacefully - that they prefer to suffer peacefully.

The problem is all the revolts were not successful. All the revolutions must be regarded as failures. Haiti is in a mess, today. The nations on the African continent are all catching hell, today. Everywhere upon earth Blackman is catching hell. Why is that the fact of the matter? It is that corruption, and tribalism has handcuffed Black people every where upon the face of the planet. They allow petty man-made differences to imprison our people. They allow Eurocentric ideology to define, and to retard the development of our people everywhere. In fact, you and I are our worst enemies.


Africans managed to win the first strike in the colony of British Guiana. That was possible because the sugar planters did not have a ready supply of labor. Africans lost the second strike less than five years later. The Africans in the colony of British Guiana blamed the presence of East Indians in the colony of British Guiana for this loss. Thus, the relationship between Africans and East Indians in the colony of British Guiana began as distant and rocky during the first decade of East Indians in the colony of British Guiana. This was a deliberate act on the behalf of the Sugar Planters. Why would they want two groups of Black people uniting against them? That would be detrimental to their lifestyle in British Guiana and in Europe. Thus, the fact immigrant labor was available led to a weakening of the Blackman’s ability to maintain their institutions. That also was vital in the reduction of Militancy displayed by Blackman between 1838 and 1964. There were only a few incidents of black militancy in 126 years. Following the political coup in December 1964, Blackman reverted to what could best be described as mouthing of resistance to the Butcher from kitty Village, by way of Black Rock, in Barbados. It is apparent. The majority supported the Fat Boy. They turned blind eyes to his misdeed. However, as more of Black people began to suffer in their communities - especially the rural communities - those who could escape left the country. I am really sure the vast majority were PNC card holders. I agree with Janet Jagan when I realized she noted immigration played a vital role in Burnham’s 17 years of illegal reign of terror upon the Guyanese society. Hoyte’s seven years was too little and too late to address grievances. Moreover, Hoyte’s refusal to acknowledge the assassination of the Most Honorable Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney (1942-1980) was an assignment requested by the PNC and his utterance that the death by misadventure was definite proof Hoyte was also an enemy of black people everywhere as is his predecessor. It appears Black militancy has disappeared completely on the Guyanese Landscape. What was left of it was misused and misguided. The advent of the third PPP administration in 1992 was looked upon as providing the solutions to the problems. However, Cheddi Jagan continued to make errors. Then to top it off died shortly after regaining office. Since the death of Cheddi Jagan the PPP/C has made numerous ridiculous decisions. The rise of criminal enterprise is astounding. It is highlighted by incidents of depraved indifference to life by law enforcement authorities and criminals. The victims are always Black - and members of the underprivileged working class. Race and class are the major contributing factors to the shenanigans of the Guyanese society. Religious differences are also exploited. However ethnic differences are the blankets under which politicians cloak themselves while sucking the blood of our people. The people continue to allow this condition to fester - and the politicians to prosper while they suffer every living day are beyond my simple mind set.
The last 60 years inform me Guyanese aren’t as intelligent as they should be. They are certainly less militant than their preceding generations.
It is troubling when common criminals such as Gajraj, Blackie London, and Rondell Rawlins are considered in some quarters as militant heroes and freedom fighters. It is putrid. Guyana is run by homosexuals. The people support the homosexuals. There is no militancy. There is no open rebellion as they were in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Why is that a fact? You explain that - will you?
I wonder what views Hemraj (Skeldon Line Path Government Secondary School), Derrick Roberts (Golden Grove Government Secondary School), Walter Rodney, Norman Eustace Cameron, John Richard Moore and Jan Carew would make of the points I have expressed.

Recommended Reading:

Genovese, Eugene D. From Rebellion to Revolution: Afro-American Slave Revolts in the Making of the Modern World. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1992. (Other editions: c1979. 1981)
Farley, Rawle [1956] Aspects of the Economic History of British Guiana, 1781-1852: A Study of Economic and Social change on the Southern Caribbean Frontier. PhD Dissertation, University of London, 1956.
Moore, Robert [1971] Slave Rebellions in Guyana (Third Annual Conference of Caribbean Historians; Guyana, 1971)
Waddell, D.A.G. [1967] the West Indies and the Guianas (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1967)
Hartsinck, J. J. [1762] the Story of the Great Rebellion in Berbice, 1762. Journal of the British Guiana Museum and Zoo and the Royal agricultural and Commercial Society, NO# 20-27(eight parts; 1958-1960)
Levy, Claude [1959] Barbados: the Last Years of Slavery, 1823-1833. Journal of Negro History XLIV (October 1959) Pages 309-345.