The Irish in the Anglo-Caribbean, Servants or slaves? - Professor Matt Reilly

Dis a fi mi History Podcast

In this episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History podcast, we embark on an in-depth exploration of the intricate history of the Irish in the Anglo-Caribbean. Special guest, Associate Professor Matthew C. Reilly, an anthropological archaeologist at CUNY, leads us into an enlightening discussion packed with his extensive research on race formation, whiteness, and colonial modernity. The focus of the episode is the Irish role within the indentured servitude and slavery systems of the Caribbean colonial era, a topic covered in depth in Professor Reilly's article, The Irish in the Anglo-Caribbean, Servants or slaves?

We examine the nuanced legal definitions that differentiated Irish indentured servants and enslaved Africans, and how these definitions reflected varying concepts of personhood. The intricate socio-cultural tapestry impinges upon the evolving sugar and slavery societies, shedding light on the exploitative systems of the past. We delve into the 1640s and 1650s period, showcasing the drastic changes experienced when labor shifted from Irish indentured servants to enslaved Africans.

This episode offers a comprehensive understanding of the development of race, spatial segregation on plantations, and the evolving nature of labor practices over time. Through an insightful examination of historical evidence including wills, deeds, and census records, we attempt to reconstruct the lived experiences of the Irish diaspora in the Anglo-Caribbean region.

The discussion uncovers the powerful role of archaeology in retelling history and shedding light on the daily lives of the enslaved individuals. We dissect the history of the Irish in the Anglo-Caribbean and its current misrepresentations, and the contentious narrative regarding Irish slavery.

BIO:

Matthew Reilly is a historical archaeologist exploring issues of race, colonialism, slavery, and freedom in the Atlantic World. His work is primarily based on the Caribbean island of Barbados and in the West African nation of Liberia. With the support of National Geographic, he is working with an international team and local partnering institutions in Liberia studying heritage and archaeology associated with the nineteenth-century Back-to-Africa movement. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the City College of New York. He is the author of Archaeology below the Cliff: Race, Class, and Redlegs in Barbadian Sugar Society (2019).

Books:

https://www.amazon.ca/Archaeology-Below-Cliff-Redlegs-Barbadian/dp/0817320288

https://www.amazon.com/Pre-Colonial-Post-Contact-Archaeology-Barbados-Directions/dp/908890846X

Article:

https://www.historyireland.com/the-irish-in-the-anglo-caribbean-servants-or-slaves/

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Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)

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