Home
About Us
Archive
Contact
LimelightMagazine
©Copyright 2002-2009 by "Limelight Magazine.org"· All Rights reserved
Chronology of African Diaspora
CHRONOLOGY OF AFRICA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA 1494 Pope Nicholas V authorized King of Portugal to ‘invade, conquer and submit to perpetual slavery the people of Africa’. 1522 27 December Slave rebellion on the estate owned by Columbus’s son in Hispaniola (now Haiti) 1596 11 August First decision to deport black people from England recorded in the Acts of the Privy Council 1619 Twenty Africans, the first to arrive in English North America, landed at Jamestown, in the colony of Virginia, as indentured servants 1624 The first black child born in the English colonies in North America, William, christened at Jamestown, Virginia 1639 Slave rebellion in St. Christopher 1641 Massachusetts became the first English colony in North America to legalize slavery 1644 Eleven black slave’ petition for freedom accepted in Dutch North American colony of New Netherlands (later New York) on grounds that they had been promised their liberty 1649 First slave revolt in Barbados 1650 English North American colony of Connecticut legalized slavery 1651 One of the earliest free black settlers, Anthony Johnson, granted 250 acres in Northampton County, Virginia 1652 English North American colony of Rhode Island outlawed slavery 1660 Blacks made up 2920 of the British North American Colonies’ population of 75,058 1661 English North American colony of Virginia legalized slavery 1662 English King Charles II granted monopoly to the Royal African Company to transport African slaves to the West Indies 1663 English North American colony of Maryland legalized slavery 1664 English North American of New Jersey and New York legalized slavery 1673 Slave rebellion in Saint Ann’s parish, Jamaica 1678 Slave rebellion in Saint Catherine’s Parish, Jamaica 1680 Blacks made up 6971 of the English North American colonies’ population of 151,507 1682 English North American colony of South Carolina legalized slavery 1685 France introduced Code Noire to administer slavery in its colonies July Slave rebellion in Guanaboa Vale, Jamaica 1690 Slave rebellion in Clarendon, Jamaica 1691 English North American colony of Virginia banned marriage between black men and English women 1700 Blacks made up 27,817 of the English North American colonies’ population of 250,888. English North American colonies of Pennsylvania and Rhode Island legalized slavery 1701 Slave rebellion in Autigua 1705 English North American colony of Massachusetts banned marriage between black men and English women 1708 Two black slaves and an Indian slave hanged following revolt in which seven whites were killed on Long Island (in the English North American colony of New York) 1712 7 September Slave revolt New York City (in the English North American colony of New York) in which nine whites were killed and 20 slaves executed 1715 English North American colony of North Carolina legalized slavery and banned marriage between black men and English women 1717 English North American colony of South Carolina banned marriage between black men and English women 1721 English North American colony of Delaware banned marriage between black men and English women 1725 English North American colony of Pennsylvania banned marriage between black men and English women 1733 Slaves captured and held the Caribbean island of St John during a rebellion 1739 9 September Slave revolt led by Jemmy in Stono in the English North American colony of Carolina in which 20 whites died and 35 slaves were killed 1741 March Twenty three slaves and free blacks in New York killed by the militia after whites fled the city fearing a ‘Negro Conspiracy’. 1746 6 November Absabm Jones, the first black priest of the Episopal Church in America and a founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, born a slave in the English North American colony of Delaware 1750 English North American colony of Georgia legalized slavery 30 September Crispus Attucks, a black hero of the American Revolution, escaped from slavery in the English North American colony of Massachusetts 1755 First school for black children in the English North American colonies opened in Philadelphia 1759 17 January Paul Cuffe, trader and advocate of black American emigration to Africa, born in the English North American colony of Massachusetts 1760 14 February Richard Allen, founding bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, born a slave in the English North American colony of Pennsylvania 8 April Slave rebellion in Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, led by Tacky 1765 Slave rebellion in Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, and in Grenada 1766 Slave rebellion in Westmoreland, Jamaica 1770 Slave rebellion in Courland Bay, Tobago 1771 Slave rebellion in Bloody Bay, Tobago 1772 Chief Justice Mansfield declared slavery illegal in England 1773 6 January Slaves in English North American colony of Massachusetts petitioned the legislature for their freedom 1774 Slave rebellion in Queen’s Bay, Tobago 1775 19 April Black American soldiers fought the British alongside whites at Concord and Lexington 23 October Free blacks and slaves banned from serving in the Continental army against the British by Congress 31 December George Washington reversed ban on free blacks serving in Continental army following a British offer to free slaves who joined the British army 1776 Slave rebellion on the Caribbean island of Montserrat 1777 Vermont became the first British North American colony to abolish slavery 1778 Enlistment of slaves into the army approved by the Rhode Island General Assembly 1781 4 September Los Angeles, California, founded by 44 people, at least 25 of whom were of African descent 1783 Slavery prohibited in Massachusetts and New Hampshire 1784 Slavery prohibited in Connecticut and Rhode Island 1785 Slavery prohibited in New Jersey 1787 12 April Free African Society organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Richard Allen and Absalom Jones. 13 July Slavery outlawed in the Northwest Territory by the US Congress 17 September US Constitution containing three clauses supporting slavery approved by the Philadelphia Convention 17 October Blacks in Boston, Massachusetts presented petition seeking equal education 1790 Census recorded black population of 757,208 (19.3 per cent) in USA, 697,000 of whom were slaves 1791 January Slave rebellion in Dominica 22 August Haitian Revolution opened with a slave revolt in the northern province led by Boukman 1793 12 February Fugitive slave law making it an offence to harbour a fugitive slave enacted by US Congress 1795 Slave-risings in Curacao, Dominica and Grenada July-December Second Maroon War in Jamaica 1797 30 January US Congress refused to accept the first petition from American blacks. Sojourner Truth, anti-slavery and women’s rights activist, born a slave in New York state 1799 Slaves granted gradual freedom in New York 1800 Census recorded black population of 1,377,808 (19 per cent) in USA. Nat Turner, preacher and leader of a slave revolt in 1831, born in Virginia 30 August Slave-rising in Virginia led by Gabriel Prosser in which 30 slaves were killed 1802 8th Battalion West Indian Regiment mutinied in Dominic 7 June Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint L’Ouverture kidnapped by French July Napolean Bonaparte banned the entry of black people into France 1803 7 April Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint L’Ouverture found dead in prison cell in Fort-de-Joux, France 1804 1 January The French Caribbean colony of Sainte Domingue became independent as Haiti 1806 Asante under King Osei Bonsu began conquest of the Gold Coast (now Ghana) 17 October Emperor Jacques I (Jean Jacques Dessalines) of Haiti assassinated by mulatto officer 1807 Dingiswayo began eight-year reign over the Zulu people. Slaves marched on Government House during rebellion in the British Caribbean colony of Tobago 1808 Two white officers killed in mutiny by 50 members of the 2nd Battalion West India Regiment in Fort Augusta, Jamaica 1 January Importing of slaves into the USA made illegal by Congress 1811 Eight-year war began between the Xhosa people and the British and Boers in South Africa 8-10 January Slave-rising in Louisiana in which two whites died and over 100 slaves were killed 1815 Ibo-led plan to rise and kill slave-masters discovered in Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica 1816 14 April Slave rebellion in the British Caribbean colony of Barbados led by Bussa 27 July Fugitive slaves and Indians holding fort Blount in Florida attacked by US troops following a siege 1817 January Black protest meetings against plans of American Colonisation Society to remove American blacks to Africa held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania February Fredrick Douglas, anti-slavery activist, reformer and women’s rights supported, born a slave in Tuckahoe, Maryland 9 September Paul Cuffe, US emigrationist and trader, died in Massachusetts aged 58 1818 Year-long civil war began among Zulus 13 February Absalom Jones died in Philadelphia aged 71 1819 Dingiswayo, ruler of Zulu people; killed. Nine-year reign of Shaka began 3 March US emigrationist, Alexander Crummell, born in New York City 1820 Census recorded black population of 1,771,656 (18.4 per cent) in USA 6 February 86 black Americans sailed from New York City on the Mayflower of Liberia, arriving in Sierra Leone on 9 March 1822 16 June Planned revolt involving thousands of slaves in Charleston, South Carolina, organized by Denmark Vessy, betrayed. Over 30 slaves, including Vessy, were hanged and 45 transported 27 September Hiram R.Revels, the first black US Senator, born 1823 Free blacks granted full citizenship rights in the British Caribbean colony of Grenada 1824 First war began between the Asante and the British and lasted until 1831 1827 16 March Publication in New York of Freedom’s Journal, the first black news paper in the USA 4 July Slavery prohibited in New York State 1828 23 September Shaka, ruler of the Zulu people, murdered by his half brothers. Succeeded by Dingaan 1829 10 August Over a thousand blacks fled to Canada following a race riot in Cincinnati, Ohio 1830 Census recorded black population of 2,328,642 (18.1 per cent) in USA Wide spread slave rebellion in British Caribbean colony of Antigua 20 September First national black convention in USA attended by 38 delegates from eight states at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia 1831 Anti-missionary riots in Barbados and Jamaica. Free blacks granted full citizenship rights in Barbados, Jamaica and the French Antilles. Extensive slave rebellion in Antigua 6- 11 June Second national black convention with 15 delegates from five states met in Philadelphia 21 – 23 August Slave revolt in Southampton County, Virginia, led by Nat Turner resulted in the death of 60 whites and over 250 slaves 11 November Nat Turner hanged for his part in Southampton County slave revolt 1832 4 – 13 June Third national black convention with 29 delegates from eight states held in Philadelphia 1833 3 – 13 June Fourth national black convention with 62 delegates from eight states met in Philadelphia 1834 Frontier war between Bantu people and Boers in South Africa 2 – 13 June Fifth national black convention with 50 delegates from eight states met in New York 1 August Slavery abolished in the British Empire 1835 Sixth national black convention with 35 delegates from six states and the District of Columbia met in Philadelphia 1837 1st Battalion West Indian Regiment mutinied in Trinidad 1838 Underground Railroad established in the USA to assist slaves escape to the north February Zulus defeated Boer force in Durban 16 December Boers defeated Zulus at the battle of Blood River, enabling the Boers to set up the Republic of Natal 1839 July Amistad incident, in which slaves led by Joseph Cinque, seized the slave ship intending to return to Africa, but were captured of Long Island on 26 August 13 November The first anti-slavery party, the Liberty Party, formed in Warsaw, New York 1840 January Zulu ruler Dingaan overthrown by alliance of his brother Mpande and Boers 1841 1 March Blanche Kelso Bruce, the first black to serve a full term in the US Senate, born a slave in Virginia 9 March Joseph Cinque and the Amistad mutineers freed by the US Supreme Court following a long campaign in their support September First black American magazine, the African Methodist Church Episcol Magazine, published in Brooklyn 7 November Slaves seized control of the Creole, sailing from New Orleans to Virginia, taking the ship to the Bahamas where they were given asylum and their freedom 25 November Thirty-five of the Amistad rebels of July 1839 sailed for Africa 1842 US Supreme Court declared a Pennsylvania state law for bidding the capture of fugitive slaves unconstitutional 1843 15 August National black convention with 70 delegates from twelve states met in Buffalo, New York. Henry Highland Garnet called for a general strike of slaves 1845 October William A.Leidesdorff became the first black US diplomat when he was appointed sub-consul in the Mexican territory of Yerba Buena 1846 Slavery abolished in Swedish Caribbean colony of St Barthelmy 1847 26 July Liberia declared an independent republic by president Joseph Jenkins Roberts 6 - 9 October National black convention with 60 delegates from nine states met in Troy, New York 3 December First issue of the North Star published by Fredrick Douglas 1848 15 February The first school integration suit filed in the US by Benjamin Roberts when his daughter, Sarah, was refused admission to a school in Boston, Massachusetts 9 – 10 August Black abolitionists participated in the national convention of the free Soil Party in Buffalo, New York 22 September Slavery abolished in Danish Caribbean colonies 1849 Town of Libreville established in Gabon, the first freed slave settlement, by the French 1850 Census recorded black population of 3,638,808 (15.7 per cent) in USA March Massachusetts Supreme court rejected school integration and proclaimed the concept of ‘separate but equal’ education for black Americans 18 September Fugitive Slave Act passed by US Congress 1851 First major work on black American history, services of coloured Americans in the wars of 1176 and 1812, published by abolitionist William C.Nell 15 February Black anti-slavery activists rescued a fugitive slave from a Boston courtroom 11 September Blacks clashed with whites pursuing fugitive slaves in Pennsylvania, killing one and wounding another 1 October Black and white anti-slavery activists rescued a fugitive slave from a courtroom in Syracuse, New York 1852 First major publication setting out the black nationalist position, The Condition, Elevation, Emigration and Destiny of the Coloured People of the United States, published by Martin R.Delany 1853 Clotel, the first novel by a black American, Williams Wells Brown, published 1854 Zulus began 23-year campaign to attempt to prevent further Boer incursions into their territory 30 May Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, allowing slavery in the Northern territory 24-26 August National Emigration Convention, a black organization advocating the emigration of black Americans to Africa, met in Cleveland with 100 delegates 1855 Theodore 11 crowned Emperor of Ethiopia 16 – 19 October National black convention with over a hundred delegates from six states met in Philadelphia 1856 5 April Booker Taliaferro Washington, activist and educationist, born a slave in Virginia December Civil war in Zululand ended in the victory of Cetewayo, over his brother Mbulazi, at the battle of the Tugela River 1857 6 March US Supreme Court decision in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case legalized slavery in the Northern territory and denied citizenship rights to black people 1858 Basutos under Moshoeshoe began ten year struggle to prevent further Boer annexation of territory 1859 February Legislation in the state of Arkansas gave free blacks the choice of leaving the state or becoming slaves December The final landing of slaves in the USA was made by the Clothilde in Alabama 1860 Census recorded black population of 4,441,830 (14.1 per cent) in USA 1861 11 March Confederate Congress prohibited any law which banned slavery 15 April US President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 soldiers to combat the Confederate rebellion but refused to recruit black troops 25 September US navy accepted the recruitment of slaves 1862 6 March President Lincoln recommended gradual freeing of slaves with compensation for their owners 16 April US Congress prohibited slavery in Washington, DC 9 May Unofficial black regiment, 1st South Carolina Volunteers, raised by David Hunter August 1st Kansas Coloured Volunteers raised by Jim Lane. Ben Butler issued a recruitment call to blacks in Orleans 13 May Planter incident, in which Robert Smalls, a black pilot, seized a Confederate steamer in Charleston harbour, taking the ship into Union waters 17 July USA approved the recruitment of black soldiers 14 August President Lincoln called on American blacks to emigrate to Central America and Africa at his first official meeting with a black delegation 22 September President Lincoln warned confederate states that he would feel slaves held by rebels on 1 January 1863 27 September 1st Louisiana Coloured Volunteers, made up of free blacks from New Orleans, became the first black regiment to be officially recognized by the USA 28 October 1ST Kansas Coloured Volunteers became the first black regiment to go into action against Confederate forces
