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 Thirty-five years ago on July 27, 1990, Trinidad and Tobago experienced a shocking violation of its democratic foundations when Yasin Abu Bakr and the Jamaat al-Muslimeen stormed Parliament and the national television station, holding the Prime Minister hostage and declaring the government overthrown. This episode delves into a Caribbean coup that rarely makes the history books but lives on in the memory of Trinidadians who witnessed it. Writer Esker David Johnson joins us to share his personal connection to the event. Together, we uncover the economic and social conditions that fertilized the ground for this uprising, from Trinidad's oil-dependent economy to the marginalization of Afro-Trinidadian communities that Abu Bakr claimed to champion.

But the most fascinating aspect of this coup isn't just that it happened—it's what didn't happen afterward. Despite the violence, the hostage-taking, and approximately 30 deaths, the perpetrators walked free due to amnesty agreements signed under duress. This extraordinary lack of consequences created what Johnson describes as a "recalibration" of Trinidad's national identity, a wound in the country's relationship with justice that shapes crime and politics to this day. Through calypso, cultural memory, and comparative history, we trace the echoes of this event through Trinidad's later struggles and are reminded that memory, justice, and national identity are inextricably linked. 

Eskor David Johnson is a writer from Trinidad and Tobago and the United States. His debut novel Pay As You Go was a finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize as well as the the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award. A professor of Fiction Writing at Stony Brook University, he lives in New York City. Also check out Johnson's recent piece on the coup, "Sisyphus in the Capital." 

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Freedom wasn't granted—it was seized through blood, sweat, and unwavering resistance. Across the Dutch and Danish Caribbean colonies, enslaved Africans fought against brutal systems of oppression that are often overshadowed in mainstream historical narratives focused on British, Spanish, and French colonial powers.

When thousands gathered in St. Croix on July 2nd, 1848, led by freedom fighter General Buddhoe (Moses Gottlieb), they weren't asking politely for their liberation. They threatened to burn Frederiksted to the ground, forcing the Danish governor to declare immediate emancipation. This powerful act of collective resistance is why July 3rd remains sacred in the U.S. Virgin Islands, commemorated through Freedom Week celebrations that honor ancestral sacrifice and triumph.

Meanwhile, in the Dutch Caribbean territories like Suriname, Curaçao, and Aruba, emancipation arrived decades later in 1863—and even then with the cruel stipulation that the formerly enslaved would be required to work an additional decade on the plantations where they had suffered. This delayed freedom, finally realized in 1873, is now celebrated as "Keti Koti" (the chain is broken), a powerful testament to resilience against Dutch colonial brutality. 

The colonial footprints of the Netherlands and Denmark—alongside brief periods of Swedish and Portuguese occupation—remain etched in Caribbean legal systems, languages, demographics, and collective consciousness. By amplifying these overlooked histories, we honor the full spectrum of Caribbean resistance and recognize that every Emancipation Day represents a hard-won victory by those who refused to accept bondage as their fate. Our ancestors' struggle for dignity continues to illuminate our path forward.

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When we picture World War I and II, we rarely envision Caribbean soldiers in RAF uniforms flying bombing missions over Nazi Germany or Trinidad's oil refineries fueling the Battle of Britain. Yet these overlooked contributions not only helped defeat fascism but transformed the Caribbean's political landscape forever. In this eye-opening episode, historian John Concagh joins Strictly Facts to uncover how over 15,000 Caribbean volunteers served in WWI and 6,000 more in WWII, despite facing what Concagh calls a "shadow color bar" within British forces. We explore the complex motivations driving Caribbean people to fight in these global conflicts – from colonial loyalty to active anti-fascism – and the bitter disappointment many faced upon being relegated to labor battalions rather than combat roles.

The conversation highlights remarkable individuals whose war service shaped their later political careers, including Errol Barrow, who flew 48 bomber missions before becoming Barbados' first Prime Minister, and Ulric Cross, whose 80 missions with the elite Pathfinder force preceded his influential legal career across the post-colonial Caribbean. As Concagh powerfully observes, "When you've been shot at over Germany at 20,000 feet in the middle of the night, the British aren't very scary anymore" – explaining how military service emboldened veterans to demand independence upon their return. Beyond military service, we discover how the Caribbean's strategic position and resources – from Trinidad's aviation fuel to Jamaica's bauxite – proved crucial to Allied victory. From wartime calypso songs mocking Hitler to today's memorial sites across the region, this episode reveals how the Caribbean's war experiences continue to shape cultural memory and national identity. Listen now to understand how fighting fascism abroad inspired the fight for freedom at home.

John Concagh is a historian from London whose work focuses on the relationship between Britain’s African and Caribbean colonies and the challenges of the Second World War. Follow John online. 

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Caribbean American Heritage Month invites us to explore the rich tapestry of identities that shape our diaspora experience. In this episode, we uncover the fascinating yet often overlooked story of "The Merikins" – formerly enslaved Black people who joined British forces during the War of 1812 and later established thriving communities in southern Trinidad. After gaining their freedom through military service, these remarkable individuals received land grants from the British in 1815-1816. In Trinidad, they built productive agricultural settlements, but their contribution extends far beyond farming. They maintained powerful cultural and religious traditions that are still recognized today.

Discover more about this remarkable chapter in Caribbean history with us. And while you celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month, don't forget to check out our first-ever merch drop, curated playlist, and reading list on our website!

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The forgotten liberation of thousands stands at the intersection of British military history and the African diaspora. When historian Matthew Taylor stumbled upon brief mentions of Black soldiers in British uniform during the War of 1812, he brought to light an extraordinary story of self-emancipation that would reshape communities across the Caribbean. The Colonial Marines—a unit of formerly enslaved Americans who joined British forces—represents the largest successful liberation movement between the Haitian Revolution and British abolition. This story reveals the remarkable agency of enslaved individuals who recognized opportunity amid conflict and negotiated their freedom through military service.

Following the war, approximately 900 Colonial Marines and their families resettled in southern Trinidad, organized by military companies—which explains why communities today still bear names like "Third Company" and "Fourth Company." These settlements became known collectively as the "Merikins," maintaining distinct cultural practices including Virginia Baptist traditions and specific rice cultivation techniques from Georgia. This history offers a powerful lens for understanding Caribbean identity formation beyond simplified national narratives. The Colonial Marines story reveals how liberation movements connected Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean through networks of resistance and community building that continue to shape identities today.

Matthew Taylor is a historian & author of Black Redcoats: The Corps of Colonial Marines, a history of African-American escapees from slavery who became British Marines in the War of 1812 (1812-1815). This all-volunteer unit formed a unique & powerful force which had a significant impact on that war, and who secured free futures for themselves & their families in British territories even as the British Empire remained slave-holding. Matthew's work has been called exciting & ground-breaking, and is currently under consideration for a PhD by prior publication.

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What remains of Caribbean identity when our most treasured traditions begin to shift? Bridging thoughts from our recent episodes, I tackle this profound question on cultural evolution. Caribbean culture has never been static—born from struggle, layered with influences, and shaped by resistance, our traditions have always been in motion. But what do we make of it when these traditions are to slip away?

There is a natural grief or worry in this loss, but perhaps we can also consider that culture never truly disappears; it simply translates and transforms. The heart of Caribbean identity persists in unexpected places. Our indomitable spirit of rhythm and rebellion continues today as we adapt to new technologies and circumstances. This isn't to dismiss the importance of preservation. Documenting stories, supporting local artists, and archiving our heritage matters deeply. But we can simultaneously honor what's fading while celebrating what's being born.

What does being Caribbean mean to you when old ways shift? Do you see echoes of our traditions in new forms? Share your thoughts through email, DM, or send a voice note through our website. This podcast is our collective story—and that story is still being written.

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Step into the Caribbean front room – that formal, pristine space with plastic-covered furniture, carefully displayed china, and family photographs that many Caribbean descendants immediately recognize. Dr. Stacey Scott joins us to explore how this distinctive domestic space functions as both cultural archive and architectural expression.

We dive deep into what Dr. Scott calls "Caribbean domesticity" – the language, care, memory, and rituals that shape our understanding of home. The front room emerges as a powerful site where seemingly contradictory impulses coexist: colonial respectability alongside cultural resistance, inaccessibility alongside preservation, formality alongside aspirational memory. For Caribbean families, particularly those in diaspora, these curated spaces become theaters of identity where family histories, migration journeys, and cultural values are displayed and transmitted across generations. Dr. Scott challenges us to recognize these domestic practices as legitimate architecture – not just decoration but sophisticated spatial philosophy created by our mothers and grandmothers without formal recognition.

Whether you grew up with a front room you weren't allowed to sit in or you're curious about the ways cultural memory is preserved through domestic space, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how Caribbean people have always been architects of their own experience. Listen now to discover how something as seemingly simple as a room with plastic-covered furniture reveals complex histories of dignity, aspiration, and cultural preservation.

Stacy Scott is an architectural researcher whose work centers on designing spaces for environments where permanence doesn’t apply. Her research focuses on temporary architecture, small-scale design, and how communities respond to climate change and social shifts. From Caribbean coastlines to health spaces, Stacy examines how architecture can respond to uncertainty, fragility, and cultural memory. Her work blends identity, resilience, and community care, always exploring real-world solutions for the spaces we live, work, and exist in.

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The Caribbean's artistic traditions reveal profound truths about our history, identity, and resilience. Keisha Oliver,  PhD candidate at Penn State, joins Strictly Facts as we discuss Bahamian visual culture that challenges conventional understandings of Caribbean creativity. From the gendered practice of straw craft—where women wove not just materials but stories across generations—to the radical educational approaches of forgotten art pioneers, this conversation uncovers how visual expression became a battleground for decolonization. Horace Wright traveled between islands as the Bahamas' only art educator during segregation, while Donald Russell created alternative spaces where Black and white students could learn together despite societal barriers. Their stories reflect the complex migratory patterns that define Caribbean identity itself: birth in one nation, heritage from another, and contributions to a third.

Most provocatively, Oliver poses an existential question gaining urgency as climate change threatens island nations: "How do we preserve who Bahamians were outside the physicality of the Bahamas?" This challenge demands innovative approaches to cultural documentation that honor indigenous and African diasporic traditions while embracing new technologies and platforms. By framing arts education as a form of Black radical thought, this episode reveals how cultural expression functions as political resistance and nation-building. The conversation ultimately demonstrates that art doesn't merely reflect Caribbean identity—it actively creates it, serving as both anchor to our past and compass toward our future.

Keisha Oliver is Bahamian assistant professor of Art and Design at the University of The Bahamas, and a PhD candidate in the dual-title Art Education and African American and Diaspora Studies program at the Pennsylvania State University. As an artist-scholar whose research intersects heritage studies and arts pedagogy, Oliver’s current work focuses on mid-twentieth century transcultural African diasporic art histories and archives. She currently stewards the Charles Blockson Collection of African Americana and The African Diaspora at Penn State and serves on several boards for arts organizations in the Caribbean and United States. Her research has been published internationally in the areas of museum studies, visual arts research, Bahamian art, and Caribbean art history.

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Have you ever wondered about the beautiful complexity that arises when different cultures blend? The Caribbean term "Dougla" captures exactly that—specifically describing people of mixed African and Indian heritage in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname. Today we unpack this fascinating identity that emerged from the region's colonial past of enslavement and indentured servitude. Derived from the Hindi word "Dogala" (meaning "double" or "mix"), the term once carried negative connotations but has been powerfully reclaimed as a symbol of pride. 

This blending of worlds symbolizes the Caribbean's remarkable capacity for cultural resilience and reinvention. It reminds us that some of humanity's most beautiful creations emerge at the intersection of different traditions. Subscribe to Strictly Facts for more explorations of Caribbean history and culture, and join our conversation about the diverse heritage that shapes our world today!

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The Caribbean's financial revolution has been quietly unfolding for generations. We delve into the powerful world of rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) known throughout the region as Padna, Susu, Boxhand, and countless other names. Dr. Caroline Hossein joins us as we reveal how these grassroots financial systems challenge Western capitalism by prioritizing collective wellbeing over individual profit.
 
We trace these practices through the Middle Passage to contemporary Caribbean communities and their diasporas worldwide. Dr. Hossein shares fascinating insights from her research documenting these "banker ladies" who organize and manage these systems with remarkable financial acumen. These community banking practices aren't relics of the past but living demonstrations of alternative economic possibilities – showing how financial systems can be democratized and made to serve community needs. For anyone interested in economic justice, community building, or Caribbean cultural resilience, this episode offers profound insights into how ancient wisdom continues to create pathways to freedom and prosperity.

A multi-award-winning scholar, Dr. Caroline Shenaz Hossein is Canada Research Chair in Africana Development and Feminist Political Economy and Associate Professor of Global Development & Political Economy at the University of Toronto. Hossein is founder of the Diverse Solidarity Economies (DISE) Collective, which involves a wide range of feminist scholars concerned with building a human economy. Hossein’s research navigates solidarity economies–a movement started in the Global South–which prioritizes social profitability over financial gain. She is the author of over 50 scholarly publications, including The Banker Ladies: Vanguards of Solidarity Economics and Community-Based Banks (2024) and produced a documentary of the same name, both about Black women’s participation in mutual aid. 

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