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14 September 1889: Navassa miners' rebellion
Published 2 weeks, 2 days ago
Description
On 14 September 1889 a rebellion of Black miners began on Navassa Island, a US territory in the Caribbean. 137 Black workers from the US had been hired to mine guano, then a crucial agricultural fertiliser, working under 11 white supervisors. The island was completely under the management of the Navassa Phosphate Company of Baltimore, Maryland.
Eventually, dangerous, racist and abusive conditions resulted in a workers' revolt. One Henry Jones killed one of the white managers, and a riot erupted after which five white supervisors had been killed and others injured.
US warships and arrived and arrested 18 Black miners, and returned them to Baltimore to face federal charges of murder. A Black fraternal society, the Order of Galilean Fisherman, raised money to defend the workers. Three of the workers were sentenced to death, but following a grassroots campaign by Black churches, which was supported by white people who served on the juries during the trials, president Benjamin Harrison eventually commuted their sentences to imprisonment. Navassa Island is also claimed by Haiti.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7759/navassa-miners'-rebellion
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Eventually, dangerous, racist and abusive conditions resulted in a workers' revolt. One Henry Jones killed one of the white managers, and a riot erupted after which five white supervisors had been killed and others injured.
US warships and arrived and arrested 18 Black miners, and returned them to Baltimore to face federal charges of murder. A Black fraternal society, the Order of Galilean Fisherman, raised money to defend the workers. Three of the workers were sentenced to death, but following a grassroots campaign by Black churches, which was supported by white people who served on the juries during the trials, president Benjamin Harrison eventually commuted their sentences to imprisonment. Navassa Island is also claimed by Haiti.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7759/navassa-miners'-rebellion
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
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