Dr. Marjoleine Kars History University of Maryland, Baltimore County UMBC Thursday, September 17, 2020 - 7:00pm Zoom Virtual Meeting Please tune in and help to promote The Labor and Working Class History Association’s next Pandemic Book Talk, which features Professor Marjoleine Kars’ outstanding new book Blood on the River: The Untold Story of the Berbice Slave Rebellion. About the Book "A breathtakingly original work of history that uncovers a massive enslaved persons’ revolt that almost changed the face of the America." On Sunday, February 27, 1763, thousands of slaves in the Dutch colony of Berbice—in present-day Guyana—launched a massive rebellion which came amazingly close to succeeding. Surrounded by jungle and savannah, the revolutionaries (many of them African-born) and Europeans struck and parried for an entire year. In the end, the Dutch prevailed because of one unique advantage—their ability to get soldiers and supplies from neighboring colonies and from Europe. Blood on the River is the explosive story of this little-known revolution, one that almost changed the face of the Americas. Drawing on nine hundred interrogation transcripts collected by the Dutch when the Berbice rebellion finally collapsed, and which were subsequently buried in Dutch archives, historian Marjoleine Kars reconstructs an extraordinarily rich day-by-day account of this pivotal event. Blood on the River provides a rare in-depth look at the political vision of enslaved people at the dawn of the Age of Revolution and introduces us to a set of real characters, vividly drawn against the exotic tableau of a riverine world of plantations, rainforest, and Carib allies who controlled a vast South American hinterland. An astonishing original work of history, Blood on the River will change our understanding of revolutions, slavery, and of the story of freedom in the New World. Meeting Information Prof Kars will talk for half an hour starting at 7pm (EST) on Thursday, Sept. 17th, and then will take questions for half an hour. Any interested listeners, including students, are welcome to join the call. Please help us promote the talk by urging people to register for the Zoom meeting below. If you are interested in attending, please register in advance! Register for the Meeting After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
