January 16, 2015
6 Triumphant
Uprisings by
Black People That
the History Channel
Should Do Instead of
Remaking ‘Roots’
The Haitian Revolution
The Haitian Revolution, which began in 1791, was one of the largest slave revolts in history and it was the only one to result in the founding of a state. The revolution took place in the French colony of Saint-Domingue and was the key to putting an end to slavery there. This defining moment in both European and American history proved to be one of the most successful uprisings by enslaved Black people.
First North American Revolt by Enslaved Black People
In 1526, nearly four decades before the first permanent European settlement, North America saw its first uprising by a group of enslaved Black people. Spanish explorers, led by conquistador Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon, brought enslaved Blacks to what is now the Carolinas. But in the midst of unrest and widespread sickness, they were able to successfully pull off a massive revolt.
The Hyksos vs. Ancient Egyptians
The battle between the Hyksos and the ancient Egyptians was a fight to reunite the country after the Hyksos took northern Egypt. To this day, it isn’t exactly clear how the Hyksos managed to take Northern Egypt, but there is a little more research about how the ancient Egyptians fought back and reclaimed their land. King Tao of Thebes led the efforts to reclaim Northern Egypt, and his son Kamose took over leadership after Tao was killed in battle. The Hyksos were eventually forced to barricade themselves in their city of Avaris before they were finally seized and expelled. Eventually they returned to Egypt again only to face a brutal defeat by Kamose’s son Ahmose I who pushed the Hyksos out of Egypt again.
The Triumph of the Accompong Maroons
The triumph of the Maroons of Accompong is a part of Jamaica’s history that is still celebrated today. The Jan. 6 celebration commemorates Maroon leader Kojo’s victory over the British in 1738, which ultimately resulted in a peace treaty between both parties.
Emperor Menelik II Defeats Italian Expedition
Emperor Menelik (Menilik) II is best remembered as a great Ethiopian emperor who defeated a major Italian military expedition in the Battle of Adowa. That war victory, however, was much more important than just a simple military accomplishment. Many historians have credited Menelik II with preserving the independence of his people by halting the expansion of the Italian military and strengthening his kingdom through political and economic modernization.
The Palmares Quilombo
Quilombos were sustainable states formed by enslaved Africans during slavery in Brazil. The most famous one was Palmares, which was established in 1600 and managed to survive for a century. When the Dutch and Portuguese repeatedly attacked the Palmares, warriors from the state managed to fight them off and defeat the Europeans multiple times across the span of one century.