The Maroons of Jamaica: Freedom Fighters in the Mountains

The Atlantic Slave Trade: Empire Built on Human Suffering — Fexingo History · May 6, 2026 · 5m · transcript

When enslaved Africans were brought to Jamaica by the Spanish and later the British, many escaped into the island's rugged interior. They became the Maroons—communities of runaways who forged their own society, blending African traditions with New World realities. This episode follows the rise of the Leeward and Windward Maroons, their legendary leaders like Cudjoe and Nanny, and their fierce resistance against British colonial forces. We explore the First Maroon War (1728–1739), the controversial peace treaties that granted Maroons autonomy in exchange for returning runaways, and the…