In this episode of Groundings, we talk to guest Erica about the Stono Rebellion. We commemorate the rebellion on its anniversary, explore the harsh conditions faced by our enslaved African ancestors in colonial South Carolina, and their struggle for freedom. Erica provides insights into the role of heritage interpretation, the impact of African cultural retention, and the drastic shifts in laws and slavery practices following the mass rebellion, such as the Negro Act of 1740. 

The episode underscores the importance of reclaiming and teaching this history to understand ongoing struggles for African American liberation, and to understand the importance of studying and honoring African uprisings across our diaspora. 

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Support the Groundings Podcast on Patreon [Support Here]

Support: Lowcountry Action Committee [Follow Here]

Follow: Black & Brown Interpreters Network [Follow Here]

Song: "I Remember, I Believe" by Sweet Honey In The Rock [Listen Here]

Speech: Malcolm X, "We Are Africans" [Watch Here]

Poem: "The Language Poem" by Obi Egbuna Jr. [Watch Here]

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00:00 - Song & Introduction 

03:52 - Meet Erica: Community Organizer and Heritage Interpreter

05:57 - The Role of Heritage Interpreters

09:34 - Historical Context of the Stono Rebellion

10:09 - Catalysts and Conditions Leading to the Rebellion

18:42 - Risks and Consequences of the Uprising

22:48 - Cultural Retention and African Ancestry

35:23 - Timeline of Events of the Stono Rebellion

35:54  - The March Southward and Encounters and Resistance

41:22 - Legal Repercussions: The Negro Acts of 1740

44:44 - Mulatto Class and Social Dynamics

51:52 - Commemoration and Erasure of the Stono Rebellion

01:00:14 - Closing Thoughts and Reflections