Troubadour the Search, Discovery and Legacy of a Slave Ship

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Maritime Archeology of the Slave Trade: Past and Present Work, and Future Prospects", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

In 1841 the Cuban slaver Troubadour wrecked off the coast of the Turks and Caicos Islands. This incident escaped modern historical scrutiny until 2000 when the Turks and Caicos National Museum included it in their UNESCO Slave Route Project entry. It wasn’t until it was listed along other sites and places or remembrances that its true importance became apparent. During three field seasons the wreck was found and initial archival research showed the Africans who survived and remained in the Turks and Caicos Islands increased the population by 7%. This meant nearly all Belongers (the name the locals give themselves) are blood tied to this story. At present no written records of any of the first generation Africans or their immediate descendants has been found. This biased historical approach means even now the story is not being completely told.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Maritime Archeology of the Slave Trade: Past and Present Work, and Future Prospects   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow