Morant Bay rebellion
1865 CE.
Shown on the map at 17.882°, -76.407°.
The Morant Bay Rebellion (11 October 1865) began with a protest march to the courthouse in Morant Bay, Jamaica, by hundreds of people led by preacher Paul Bogle. Some were armed with sticks and stones. After seven men were shot and killed by the volunteer militia, the protesters attacked and burned the courthouse and nearby buildings. Twenty-five people died. Over the next two days, poor freedmen rose in rebellion across most of St. Thomas-in-the-East parish. The freedmen were protesting against widespread poverty and perceived injustices. Most were prevented from voting by high poll taxes, and their living standards had worsened following crop damage by floods, cholera and smallpox epidemics, and a long drought. A few days before the march, when police tried to arrest a man for disrupting a trial, spectators sought to prevent them. Officials then issued a warrant for the arrest of preacher Bogle, who had called for reforms, and he was charged with inciting to riot. Governor Edward John Eyre declared martial law in the area, ordering in troops to hunt down the rebels. They killed more than 400 black people and arrested more than 300, including Bogle.
Text from the Wikipedia article Morant Bay rebellion, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.