Part IX: Decolonization, Nationalism, Sovereignty Session 12 Black Power Revolts in the English-speaking Caribbean � Violence, Inequality, and the “Same Old Khaki Pants” � The Rodney Riots in Jamaica: October 16, 1968 � Canada-Caribbean: The Sir George Williams Riot of 1969 � Black Power in Trinidad & Tobago: February 26—April 21, 1970 � Aftermath: Loss, Retreat, Diffusion 1
Vi io ol le en nc ce e, , I In ne eq qu ua al li it ty y, , a an nd d t th he e “ “S Sa am me e O Ol ld d K Kh ha ak ki i P Pa an nt ts s” ” V � Continued inequality and conflict after the abolition of slavery � Trinidad: Daaga slave uprising of 1837, prison riots of 1849, Carnival protests of 1858 and 1881, Cedar Hill riot of 1882, Hosay Riots of 1884; 1903, water riots erupted, burning down of the Red House � Lack of representative democracy under colonial rule: revolts from 1917 to 1919, from 1934 to 1937, from 1946 to 1948 � 1930s labour strikes, revolts, and riots across the British Caribbean � Post-Independence : A break with the past, or the “same old khaki pants”? � discrimination against the black majority � renewed relationships with powerful foreign economic and political interests � tendency towards autocratic rule � continuing external orientation and dependency (economically & culturally) 2
� After Independence in the 1960s: targets of mass disaffection were new national elites, local ruling class: “ better must come ”? � Black Power revolts: intellectuals, unemployed youth, workers; anti- imperialism; “freedom” and “power”; aesthetics of black beauty, black pride, and black dignity. Th he e R Ro od dn ne ey y R Ri io ot ts s i in n J Ja am ma ai ic ca a: : O Oc ct to ob be er r 1 16 6, , 1 19 96 68 8 T � Walter Rodney, banned from Jamaica: students at UWI protest’ working class protesters launch riots � The Rodney Riots: start of a series of Black Power protests in the Caribbean; international Black Power came home to roost. � Black Power: transnational—Jamaica, Trinidad, Montreal 3
Ca an na ad da a- -C Ca ar ri ib bb be ea an n: : T Th he e S Si ir r G Ge eo or rg ge e W Wi il ll li ia am ms s R Ri io ot t o of f 1 19 96 69 9 C � Montreal, 1968 to 1969, Sir George Williams University: site of the largest student occupation in Canadian history � led by Caribbean students; a future prime minister of Dominica, a future Canadian senator, and son of Cheddi Jagan. � University administration’s dismissal of accusations against biology professor, Perry Anderson, of practicing racially discriminatory grading � 1968, Montreal universities hosted two conferences on Black Power themes � February 1969, Caribbean students arrested after damaging the University’s computer centre on the 9 th floor of the Hall Building; trials, imprisonment, deportation (Roosevelt Douglas) For more, see: “Computer Centre Incident” (from: Concordia University: Records Management & Archives) http://archives.concordia.ca/computer-riot 4
Bl la ac ck k P Po ow we er r i in n T Tr ri in ni id da ad d & & T To ob ba ag go o: : F Fe eb br ru ua ar ry y 2 26 6— —A Ap pr ri il l 2 21 1, , 1 19 97 70 0 B � large street demonstrations; abortive coup led by junior officers; guerrilla action by the National Union of Freedom Fighters (NUFF) � Eric Williams, People’s National Movement (PNM): continuing national and social problems? � Banning C.L.R. James, Stokely Carmichael � Carnival, 1970: Black power protest bands 5
� The Express : “New PNM search on for black dignity”: “formulate a programme to achieve dignity and self-respect for the numerically dominant groups in the community and seize anew the opportunity to lead our nation and the region to a higher sense of nationalism and integration” � February 26, 1970 anniversary of the Sir George Williams. National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), solidarity march for the Sir George students � Occupation of the national Catholic Cathedral in Independence Square in Port of Spain � Canadian High Commission, Royal Bank of Canada 6
“The economic resources of the society are almost completely controlled from abroad. Canada controls our banking system, the United States controls our minerals and Britain controls a lot of our export agriculture. So that almost the whole economy of Trinidad and Tobago is in foreign hands -- and the system which they have organized -- well, for one thing, they have to control our tastes, because if we are to be consumers of products that these societies produce then they have to brainwash us to determine our tastes.” � Chamber of Commerce � Paths of protest: targeting pillars of foreign and local white domination. � Attacks against foreign-owned shops and diplomatic residences attached to the U.S. � Attempts to build broader support for the movement failed—ethnic divisions between Indians and Africans 7
� Eric Williams: spending to alleviate unemployment (temporary work programs), tax on new investments, nationalize foreign banks (51% share for local ownership) � Members of the government opted for repression in light of continued confrontation � Deputy Prime Minister, A.N.R. Robinson , resigns from government and later from PNM too � April 21, State of Emergency � Mutiny by junior officers of the army � Prospective foreign intervention: Venezuela, U.S. Navy and Marines 8
Af ft te er rm ma at th h: : L Lo os ss s, , R Re et tr re ea at t, , D Di if ff fu us si io on n A � Collapse of the Grenadian revolution, disappearance of USSR as an alternative pole of trade and aid, crumbling of Cuban economy, Manley’s own reversals in Jamaica in the late 1980s and early 1990s � Continued movements of cultural and political resistance into the 1990s; continuation of legacies of colonialism—authoritarianism, racial discrimination � New form of revolt 20 years later: The 1990 “coup” in Trinidad � Transnationalism : (1) new extensions of foreign ownership, post- plantation; (2) impact of events in the “metropolis”; (3) Black Power movement across borders � Cultural conflict : unresolved inequalities as a legacy of slavery � Political crisis : (1) authoritarianism & coercion; (2) nation-building; (3) the promises of Independence 9
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