Rethinking the Aborigines Protection Society through its Informants
Rethinking the Aborigines Protection Society through its Informants This blog post was originally published on the Bodleian Libraries Blog at https://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/archivesandmanuscripts/2023/02/24/rethinking-the-aborigines-protection-society-through-its-informants/. Within the archives of the Anti-Slavery Society are the correspondence records of its cousin, the Aborigines’ Protection Society (1837-1909), which merged with…
There were Victorian Indigenous Rights Activists?
There were Victorian Indigenous Rights Activists? Originally published at https://medium.com/@DarrenReidHistory/there-were-victorian-indigenous-rights-activists-ec5243eb709c. The history of the British Empire in the 1800s has a pretty bad reputation, for good reason. The British were blatantly and unashamedly racist. They became rich by stealing other people’s resources.…
Resisting the forced labour system in colonial South Africa, 1877–1879
Resisting the forced labour system in colonial South Africa, 1877–1879 Originally published at https://medium.com/@DarrenReidHistory/resisting-the-forced-labour-system-in-colonial-south-africa-1877-1879-56007f12f07d. The five decades of Apartheid (1948–1994) are often considered the pinnacle of racial oppression in South Africa. But Apartheid was just an evolution of centuries of racial conflict. One…
Shadrach Boyce Mama
Shadrach Boyce Mama The APS received a single letter from Shadrach Boyce Mama dated 29 December 1879. Mama was born in 1855 as a nephew of the chief of the Gqunukwebe Xhosa, who had been expelled from the Neutral/Ceded Territory in 1819…
Samuel Moroka’s correspondence
Samuel Moroka’s correspondence The Aborigines’ Protection Society received six letters from Samuel Moroka between 26 December 1883 and 7 February 1884. Samuel Moroka was born circa 1840 to Moroka II, chief of the Thaba Nchu Barolong. Samuel was the third son by…
Mqikela’s correspondence
Mqikela’s correspondence The Aborigines’ Protection Society received three letters from Mqikela between 1 August 1883 and 12 July 1884. Mqikela was born circa 1841 to Faku, paramount chief of the Mpondo kingdom. Mqikela was not Faku’s eldest son, but his mother was…
John Tengo Jabavu’s correspondence
John Tengo Jabavu’s correspondence The most prolific African correspondent with the APS was John Tengo Jabavu. He wrote eighteen letters in total, the first dated 6 May 1880, and the last 28 November 1887. Jabavu was a mission-educated journalist of Mfengu ancestry.…