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The Black Joke: The True Story of One Ship's Battle Against the Slave Trade
A groundbreaking history of the Black Joke, the most famous member of the British Royal Navy’s anti-slavery squadron, and the long fight to end the transatlantic slave trade.
The most feared ship in Britain’s West Africa Squadron, His Majesty’s brig Black Joke was one of a handful of ships tasked with patrolling the western coast of Africa in an effort to end hundreds of years of global slave trading. Sailing after the spectacular fall of Napoleon in France, yet before the rise of Queen Victoria’s England, Black Joke was first a slaving vessel itself, and one with a lightning-fast reputation; only a lucky capture in 1827 allowed it to be repurposed by the Royal Navy to catch its former compatriots. Over the next five years, the ship’s diverse crew and dedicated commanders would capture more ships and liberate more enslaved people than any other in the Squadron.
Now, author A.E. Rooks chronicles the adventures on this ship and its crew in a brilliant, lively narrative of the history of Britain’s suppression efforts. As Britain slowly attempted to snuff out the transatlantic slave trade by way of treaty and negotiation, enforcing these policies fell to the Black Joke and those that sailed with it as they battled slavers, weather disasters, and interpersonal drama among captains and crew that reverberated across oceans. In this history of the daring feats of a single ship, the abolition of the international slave trade is revealed as an inexplicably extended exercise involving tense negotiations between many national powers, both colonizers and formerly colonized, that would stretch on for decades longer than it should have.
Harrowing and heartbreaking, The Black Joke is a crucial and deeply compelling work of history, both as a reckoning with slavery and abolition and as a lesson about the power of political will—or the lack thereof.
The most feared ship in Britain’s West Africa Squadron, His Majesty’s brig Black Joke was one of a handful of ships tasked with patrolling the western coast of Africa in an effort to end hundreds of years of global slave trading. Sailing after the spectacular fall of Napoleon in France, yet before the rise of Queen Victoria’s England, Black Joke was first a slaving vessel itself, and one with a lightning-fast reputation; only a lucky capture in 1827 allowed it to be repurposed by the Royal Navy to catch its former compatriots. Over the next five years, the ship’s diverse crew and dedicated commanders would capture more ships and liberate more enslaved people than any other in the Squadron.
Now, author A.E. Rooks chronicles the adventures on this ship and its crew in a brilliant, lively narrative of the history of Britain’s suppression efforts. As Britain slowly attempted to snuff out the transatlantic slave trade by way of treaty and negotiation, enforcing these policies fell to the Black Joke and those that sailed with it as they battled slavers, weather disasters, and interpersonal drama among captains and crew that reverberated across oceans. In this history of the daring feats of a single ship, the abolition of the international slave trade is revealed as an inexplicably extended exercise involving tense negotiations between many national powers, both colonizers and formerly colonized, that would stretch on for decades longer than it should have.
Harrowing and heartbreaking, The Black Joke is a crucial and deeply compelling work of history, both as a reckoning with slavery and abolition and as a lesson about the power of political will—or the lack thereof.
382 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 15, 2022
The Black Joke was a slave ship that was captured by the British in 1827. At that time, British officers could purchase captured ships and tender them to an existing military ship. The Black Joke had been built in the United States and was smaller and faster than military ships. It was purchased and became a part of the fleet of British ships that patrolled the African coast to stop the transatlantic slave trade. Before it was intentionally destroyed in 1832, it had captured 13 slave ships.
While this book describes the horrors of the slave trade, most of the book discusses many other topics, including the workings of the Royal Navy, the economics of the slave trade, epidemics and sea battles. The attempt to stop the slave trade was complicated by recalcitrant governments and wily ship captains. It was interesting that the slaves on the captured ships were not actually freed to return to their homes but became subject to whims and rules of the British. The book was extremely thorough and well-researched, but was written with a light touch so I never found it dull.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
While this book describes the horrors of the slave trade, most of the book discusses many other topics, including the workings of the Royal Navy, the economics of the slave trade, epidemics and sea battles. The attempt to stop the slave trade was complicated by recalcitrant governments and wily ship captains. It was interesting that the slaves on the captured ships were not actually freed to return to their homes but became subject to whims and rules of the British. The book was extremely thorough and well-researched, but was written with a light touch so I never found it dull.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
January 30, 2022
This book is fascinating, and you should read it. The author follows the journey of a single slaver ship captured by the British and used as an anti-slavery patrol brig in the years that followed. In following its story, the author takes us through the global slave trade and the end of the imperial era as the balance of power shifted among the historically great European empires. She also guides the reader through the ways that the slave trade of the 17th - 19th centuries is still shaping global trade. I learned so much from this book and I could not put it down.
March 23, 2022
So let me start by saying I do not like stories about ships. I will actively avoid such books, and when I do find myself reading them, I'm confused and irritated the whole time. And while I was still confused reading this book, due to my own inability to properly imagine what a ship looks like, especially a ship from the 1800s, I was never irritated. At least not at the narrative. The actions of humanity though... absolutely.
This book is just insane, and illustrative of how LITTLE we (at least those of us in the US) truly learn about slavery and the slave trade in school. The loopholes available to slavers (e.g. just use a different flag) or even those who claimed to oppose it (e.g. it's indentured servitude, not slavery, duh) are absurd, and the lack of caring about actually stopping the slave trade on the part of those whose friggin' JOB it was to stop the slave trade was appalling. The few who actually cared and wanted to end this despicable practice always had an uphill battle against their superiors, the Admiralty as a whole, and really, well, Britain.
Rooks' attention to detail should go down in the annals of history; usually I find myself Googling to find answers to questions I have about some element of a book, but Rooks' detailed descriptions and useful end notes really cut down my labors. While there were a few places I wanted more info, e.g. how the British government apparently resorted to legalized kidnapping off the street to find sailors, how on earth something called a "defecation tub" could somehow be "even more disgustingly inhumane than their function and location implies," and the "excessive" nature of George IV, these things would likely take the book off track. (I also firmly believe Rooks has the answers to all these inquiries, but due to how publishing work, these answers could not be included in the text).
So many things about this book have stuck with me: how the "freed" enslaved on the ships were not really freed at all, how ineffective (and rare) anti-slavery legislation was, how unmitigatingly terrible the conditions for the enslaved were on these ships, how sailors could not swim (this was stunning), and so much more- you have to read the book to really understand everything.
In the end, while I usually avoid books about ships, this book was about so much more. It was about a small group of people doing their best to end a disgusting practice, even when almost every structure was designed to impede them in their quest. This is the stuff you didn't even know you didn't know, and really, you should DEFINITELY know it.
This book is just insane, and illustrative of how LITTLE we (at least those of us in the US) truly learn about slavery and the slave trade in school. The loopholes available to slavers (e.g. just use a different flag) or even those who claimed to oppose it (e.g. it's indentured servitude, not slavery, duh) are absurd, and the lack of caring about actually stopping the slave trade on the part of those whose friggin' JOB it was to stop the slave trade was appalling. The few who actually cared and wanted to end this despicable practice always had an uphill battle against their superiors, the Admiralty as a whole, and really, well, Britain.
Rooks' attention to detail should go down in the annals of history; usually I find myself Googling to find answers to questions I have about some element of a book, but Rooks' detailed descriptions and useful end notes really cut down my labors. While there were a few places I wanted more info, e.g. how the British government apparently resorted to legalized kidnapping off the street to find sailors, how on earth something called a "defecation tub" could somehow be "even more disgustingly inhumane than their function and location implies," and the "excessive" nature of George IV, these things would likely take the book off track. (I also firmly believe Rooks has the answers to all these inquiries, but due to how publishing work, these answers could not be included in the text).
So many things about this book have stuck with me: how the "freed" enslaved on the ships were not really freed at all, how ineffective (and rare) anti-slavery legislation was, how unmitigatingly terrible the conditions for the enslaved were on these ships, how sailors could not swim (this was stunning), and so much more- you have to read the book to really understand everything.
In the end, while I usually avoid books about ships, this book was about so much more. It was about a small group of people doing their best to end a disgusting practice, even when almost every structure was designed to impede them in their quest. This is the stuff you didn't even know you didn't know, and really, you should DEFINITELY know it.
January 18, 2022
If you ever told me I'd be excitedly page-turning a book about the slave trade and the British navy in the early/mid 19th century, I'd probably have given you the look parents give their obviously lying children, but here we are. The Black Joke was smart, fascinating, fantastically detailed, and threaded with subtle humor. The book is organized around the captures of slavers made by the titular ship, but in addition to the saga of the prize capture itself, each includes historical & political context, background & development on the people & places involved, and never loses sight of the real subject of the book--the enslaved and the horrendous, atrocious, despicable, gut-turning conditions they were kept in, both on and off the slave ships. The only change I would make would be to include a map of the region, because I'm the kind of nerd who loves to refer to the map at the beginning of books & I found myself googling to make sure I understood the vastness of the places covered. The Black Joke is a well-written, vital read about a difficult subject, that I highly recommend.
February 17, 2022
This is a stunning book. From slave ship to a hunter of slave ships, from the dangers of the sea to the convoluted molasses of politics, A.E. Rooks spins a true tale that proves that truth is stranger than fiction.
The Atlantic slave trade was a horrid and tawdry chapter in the history of the world. Legislation to stop the trafficking of slaves came into being in 1807 but how does one plug all the routes that existed in the Atlantic between Africa and the Americas? How does one in the 21C come to a broader and more informed insight into what occurred in those dark years?
This book is a perfect starting place. I recommend it highly.
The Atlantic slave trade was a horrid and tawdry chapter in the history of the world. Legislation to stop the trafficking of slaves came into being in 1807 but how does one plug all the routes that existed in the Atlantic between Africa and the Americas? How does one in the 21C come to a broader and more informed insight into what occurred in those dark years?
This book is a perfect starting place. I recommend it highly.
May 8, 2022
Interesting topic, poorly written.
April 2, 2022
This is the best history I've read recently. It covers in-depth a piece of the history of the slave trade in Europe and their colonies, the British Naval culture that allowed children as young as 7 to sail, the places from which enslaved people were taken, where they were bound, and what happened to them en route and afterwards, for those captured and set free by the Black Joke. Rooks is a good historian who can convey the beliefs of the time without excusing these people morally. She is also a good writer: the book is filled with astonishing facts and yet it is so readable I finished it in two days. This can be a difficult topic to write about, and while tears may come, Rooks manages to stay on a middle line that is neither preachy nor academic. The beautifully-reproduced pages of names bear silent witness.
February 12, 2022
“ A groundbreaking history of the Black Joke, the most famous member of the British Royal Navy's anti-slavery squadron, and the long fight to end the transatlantic slave trade.
Initially a slaving vessel itself, the Black Joke was captured in 1827 and repurposed by the Royal Navy to catch its former compatriots. Over the next five years, the vessel liberated more enslaved people than any other in Britain's West Africa Squadron.
As Britain attempted to snuff out the transatlantic slave trade by way of treaty and negotiation, enforcing these policies fell to ships such as the Black Joke as they battled slavers, weather disasters, and interpersonal drama among captains and crew that reverberated across oceans.”
I found this a fascinating read, the writing is really good and kept me interested throughout, like a lot of white people I am on a lifelong learning , or unlearning of everything I’ve been brainwashed to believe, so this was yet another addition to my journey of adding to correcting my knowledge, details such as the slaves that were on the captured ships that the Black Joke caught were not actually freed but still ended up subject to British subjugation.
This is an intelligent, fantastically interesting book, Rooks guides us through the slave trade, but more importantly highlights and emphasises how it still guides and shapes our modern lives. I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone who ‘thinks’ they know about the abolition of slavery, and to everyone interested in unlearning or learning some truths and facts they won’t know and won’t always want to know, but they need to.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Initially a slaving vessel itself, the Black Joke was captured in 1827 and repurposed by the Royal Navy to catch its former compatriots. Over the next five years, the vessel liberated more enslaved people than any other in Britain's West Africa Squadron.
As Britain attempted to snuff out the transatlantic slave trade by way of treaty and negotiation, enforcing these policies fell to ships such as the Black Joke as they battled slavers, weather disasters, and interpersonal drama among captains and crew that reverberated across oceans.”
I found this a fascinating read, the writing is really good and kept me interested throughout, like a lot of white people I am on a lifelong learning , or unlearning of everything I’ve been brainwashed to believe, so this was yet another addition to my journey of adding to correcting my knowledge, details such as the slaves that were on the captured ships that the Black Joke caught were not actually freed but still ended up subject to British subjugation.
This is an intelligent, fantastically interesting book, Rooks guides us through the slave trade, but more importantly highlights and emphasises how it still guides and shapes our modern lives. I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone who ‘thinks’ they know about the abolition of slavery, and to everyone interested in unlearning or learning some truths and facts they won’t know and won’t always want to know, but they need to.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
November 20, 2021
This is a curious book. It is meticulously researched and detailed. It uses the story of the ship’s tender and anti-piracy vessel Black Joke to propel a broader look at Britain’s anti-slavery naval campaign, the political climate that supported and undermined it, the complex diplomacy that surrounded it, and the economics and politics of the slavery movement. I found quite a lot of this illuminating and fascinating. On the other hand, I also found some elements to be digressions and often found the author’s voice intrusive. I felt that 21st century ideas and concerns crept into the 19th century analysis a bit too often. Rooks doesn’t seem to be a professional historian, more an impassioned and gifted amateur, and this can show. Nevertheless, a worthwhile read.
March 25, 2022
I learned a lot from this book—I never knew that the British Navy had ships dedicated to intercepting slave ships and liberating the enslaved people on board. I think the subject would make a good movie. I’ll admit, though, that it was a bit too scholarly in approach for me to sit down and easily read it. I’m fine with scholarly narratives as a rule but for some reason I had trouble getting through the chapters in a sitting. I think if I had read it at a different time (lots going on right now) I’d have enjoyed the read much more. Great research and enlightening topic.
June 14, 2023
The Black Joke was an excellent book that told a complex story of the period when the British had stopped allowing the transport of enslaved cargo. This did not prevent or stop slavery; it just policed how enslaved people could be moved and transported
What intrigued me most was the history behind the name, how confiscated cargo and vessels were handled, and the timelines. The author provided laws and cases of reference and discussed how the rescued enslaved and resources were impounded
The author provides insight into the sailors, countries involved, ship battles, royal navy, ship labor, and salary, who was on the ships as crew and their duties, and how diseases and illnesses were handled. While the cause was honorable, it often failed to help the enslaved return home and did little to quell the desire for slave labor or improve the conditions of those captured.
I believe history lovers will enjoy this well-researched and sourced information, the history of the black joke, its crews, the voyages, and the coverage of slavery and maritime resistance.
What intrigued me most was the history behind the name, how confiscated cargo and vessels were handled, and the timelines. The author provided laws and cases of reference and discussed how the rescued enslaved and resources were impounded
The author provides insight into the sailors, countries involved, ship battles, royal navy, ship labor, and salary, who was on the ships as crew and their duties, and how diseases and illnesses were handled. While the cause was honorable, it often failed to help the enslaved return home and did little to quell the desire for slave labor or improve the conditions of those captured.
I believe history lovers will enjoy this well-researched and sourced information, the history of the black joke, its crews, the voyages, and the coverage of slavery and maritime resistance.
June 9, 2022
***Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, but my review is my own honest opinion.
A fascinating true story of the sort that is rarely told, The Black Joke recounts the adventures of the titular ship, a one-time slaving ship seized by the West Africa Squadron of the British Navy and converted for use in capturing other slaving ships. We learn about the men who commanded her and their various circumstances and motivations, but the story of the ship and her adventures illustrates the complex situation the West Africa Squadron found itself in as it sought to enforce the British ban on the slave trade with just a few ships and a limited budget.
This is a rare book that can appeal equally to those who enjoy tales of the sea, of military history, or of the long struggle of the formerly enslaved and their descendants for civil rights and equality. Highly recommended.
A fascinating true story of the sort that is rarely told, The Black Joke recounts the adventures of the titular ship, a one-time slaving ship seized by the West Africa Squadron of the British Navy and converted for use in capturing other slaving ships. We learn about the men who commanded her and their various circumstances and motivations, but the story of the ship and her adventures illustrates the complex situation the West Africa Squadron found itself in as it sought to enforce the British ban on the slave trade with just a few ships and a limited budget.
This is a rare book that can appeal equally to those who enjoy tales of the sea, of military history, or of the long struggle of the formerly enslaved and their descendants for civil rights and equality. Highly recommended.
July 6, 2022
Ultimately this is probably 3.5 stars.
January 24, 2022
Very interesting book, the author really did her research.
February 18, 2022
This review is based on a copy I received from a Goodreads giveaway.
This was a fascinating book primarily about the career of the tender the Black Joke in the British Navy's West Africa Squadron, but also about the protracted fight to end the slave trade. Rooks does a great job of giving the reader the necessary background information to understand the difficulties faced by the Black Joke and its squadron, including quite a bit of background on international relations among the European and South American powers and the treaties that were in place. I never would have believed that historical international policy could be interesting, but Rooks makes it so! She kept me engaged throughout the book.
In the author's note, Rooks does comment on how there is much more information about the British officers than the enslaved that they rescue, but she tries to highlight their humanity (instead of just showing numbers) through copies of the actual registers with names and descriptions of those who were "liberated" from the slave ships. Unfortunately, I found these to be rather difficult to read. The descriptions of the conditions aboard the slaving vessels from the logs of the Navy crew did drive home how horrible conditions were aboard the ships. I mean...we all know it was bad, but from these descriptions...it was far worse.
Other interesting information in this book is the different views of slaves in the different colonies, largely driven by the crops that are grown there. It is appalling. Rooks also touches briefly on Britain's role in the South American colonies' bid for freedom, homosexuality in the British Navy, tropical diseases and the state of medicine during this period, and the British Navy's use of Kroomen.
My only gripe with this book is that Rooks seems prone to run-on sentences. There were several that tripped me up and which I had to reread a few times to understand. It would also have been really nice to include a map of the patrol area showing the major settlements/bases/harbors mentioned in the book along with the sites where the slave ships were captured.
Overall though, this is an excellent book and I definitely recommend it!
As an aside, I know you shouldn't judge an author by their appearance but Rooks looks like the history version of Ms. Frizzle. Except that instead of introducing one class of school children to the wonders of science, she is working on instilling a love of history in a much larger audience.
This was a fascinating book primarily about the career of the tender the Black Joke in the British Navy's West Africa Squadron, but also about the protracted fight to end the slave trade. Rooks does a great job of giving the reader the necessary background information to understand the difficulties faced by the Black Joke and its squadron, including quite a bit of background on international relations among the European and South American powers and the treaties that were in place. I never would have believed that historical international policy could be interesting, but Rooks makes it so! She kept me engaged throughout the book.
In the author's note, Rooks does comment on how there is much more information about the British officers than the enslaved that they rescue, but she tries to highlight their humanity (instead of just showing numbers) through copies of the actual registers with names and descriptions of those who were "liberated" from the slave ships. Unfortunately, I found these to be rather difficult to read. The descriptions of the conditions aboard the slaving vessels from the logs of the Navy crew did drive home how horrible conditions were aboard the ships. I mean...we all know it was bad, but from these descriptions...it was far worse.
Other interesting information in this book is the different views of slaves in the different colonies, largely driven by the crops that are grown there. It is appalling. Rooks also touches briefly on Britain's role in the South American colonies' bid for freedom, homosexuality in the British Navy, tropical diseases and the state of medicine during this period, and the British Navy's use of Kroomen.
My only gripe with this book is that Rooks seems prone to run-on sentences. There were several that tripped me up and which I had to reread a few times to understand. It would also have been really nice to include a map of the patrol area showing the major settlements/bases/harbors mentioned in the book along with the sites where the slave ships were captured.
Overall though, this is an excellent book and I definitely recommend it!
As an aside, I know you shouldn't judge an author by their appearance but Rooks looks like the history version of Ms. Frizzle. Except that instead of introducing one class of school children to the wonders of science, she is working on instilling a love of history in a much larger audience.
March 11, 2022
If you enjoy nautical history at all, and are looking for a very interesting read on the liberation of slaves in the early 1800's, this is a great read. Easy reading, solidly paced and never to bogged down in detail.
February 6, 2022
For readers of history of the post-Napoleonic War Royal Navy, the maritime enforcement of the 1820 ban on the transatlantic slave trade above the equator, and economic and social history the early to mid-19th century of colonial and post-colonial Europe and lands across the Atlantic coast.
It tells the story of a ship seized by the Royal Navy because of it's use as a slaver's ship between West Africa and the Americas that was used to capture other ships attempting the same. Daring tales of triumph are mixed the impossibility of the task assigned to the few ships and resources provided by the British Empire. The lack of political will presumably because of the vast fortunes at stake in the interconnectedness of the profits made from the use of enslaved labor.
Important insights await the reader without having to wade through academic language. An important book.
It tells the story of a ship seized by the Royal Navy because of it's use as a slaver's ship between West Africa and the Americas that was used to capture other ships attempting the same. Daring tales of triumph are mixed the impossibility of the task assigned to the few ships and resources provided by the British Empire. The lack of political will presumably because of the vast fortunes at stake in the interconnectedness of the profits made from the use of enslaved labor.
Important insights await the reader without having to wade through academic language. An important book.
February 21, 2022
It becomes evident rather quickly that the story of the Black Joke is not nearly substantive enough to fill the pages of an entire book, and so much of the story revolves instead around the work of abolitionists and the minutiae of the West Africa Squadron’s operations. AE Rooks does a wonderful job narrating from start to finish, and tells these tales of bureaucracy in as riveting a voice as she can. However I can’t help but feel the book should have been branded as the story of the WAS as a whole, rather than billed as the story of the Black Joke alone. It’s a shame that the pandemic suspended Rooks’ plans to do research in person in both the UK and Sierra Leon, but I’ll definitely pick up another one of her books in the future.
February 7, 2022
Fascinating look at this piece of history I knew next to nothing about: the British efforts to destroy the slave trade in the 1820s and 1830s. It’s an interesting mix of diplomacy (the intricacies of the treaties involved, oh), pressure, and British naval dominance through ships and tenders like the Black Joke that could catch and condemn slave ships. I would have liked a bit more context about how the abolition process continued after the Black Joke left service, which was only touched upon but not in detail (was the traffic largely eliminated once France began making strong efforts? Were the Brazilians always intransigent?). Well worth a read.
February 16, 2022
Early 19th century British naval history is not especially on-brand for me, but I'm glad I let myself be surprised by The Black Joke. Rooks's narrative voice, at turns scholarly and sardonic, takes you on a journey through the seas and inlets around West Africa and into one ship's relentless, and often lonely, fight against the slave trade. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the Kru people, free Africans who worked (usually, it should be noted, for inequitable compensation) alongside sailors of the British Navy to sustain the ships of the West African Squadron in the struggle to halt slave ships. An unusual but rewarding read for Black History Month.
October 6, 2023
The history needed to be told, but did this book completely bypass the editorial process? Every page contains multiple convoluted sentences, laden with dependent AND independent clauses. Even the descriptions of naval combat get bogged down by the writing style.
February 7, 2022
Very slow reading. Too much history of every person, ship, etc. back generations. Reads like a boring textbook.
December 28, 2022
This book is WILDLY interesting. I learned so much. (And this review will be way too long.)
Being American, most 1700s/1800s history taught about slavery and abolition takes place stateside. This book chronicles the multinational naval aspect, when the trafficking of enslaved Africans was made illegal by the British, but not yet illegal by the Spanish, French, Portuguese, Brazilians, etc. "By 1828 perhaps the only thing that was clear was that…Britain was basically alone on the waters if it wanted to stop the slave trade. And there was so much water.”
This book covers the sheer complexity of the macroeconomic and legal issues of policing international waters to locate and capture well-financed slave ships, and how much those ships/captains lied and committed horrible acts of violence to evade capture and consequences. “Naively it seemed, many of England’s abolitionists, and at least some politicians, had expected the eradication of the trade to be a relatively simple endeavor that would pave the way to abolition of slavery itself, imagining it would take a scant few years perhaps. Slavers in large part simply contrived new methods to evade condemnation, even if captured.” “As long as there was a single flag to hide behind, the unscrupulous would exploit it.”
And now to the title character: The Black Joke is the name of a famous ship that was originally used to transport enslaved Africans, but after it was captured by the British, was used to police the waters off the coast of Western Africa to stop other slave ships from completing their journeys. Aside from the above, there are unending issues like illness (yellow fever), the dangerousness of the job, staffing/leadership/bureaucracy of the ship and the navy, and how much work was done by indigenous “kroo” members.
Britain is hardly a simple protagonist, however. Despite “freeing” thousands of enslaved people on ships: (this is paraphrased) Liberation was not freedom. The newly liberated Africans became British, whether they wanted to or not, and the adults were given three options. They could become free apprentices in the West Indies, join a segregated regiment of troops, or settle on one of the estates bordering Freetown. Unofficial 4th option…shipped off to the hinterlands. Fifth possibility…succumb to illnesses contracted on board slave ships and died within months. “One could easily be forgiven for forgetting that this process was ostensibly meant to be liberatory.”
Apprenticeship was rather slavery-adjacent in that the people who “chose” it would be shipped…to one of the British colonies where they were required to perform labor with minimal or no compensation for a term not exceeding 14 years. (Guess what 80% of them did? Harvested sugar cane.) Apprenticeships were proxy slavery. The common bond throughout was colonization. The jobs being assigned to receptive Africans were unquestionably in service of British Empire.
I had to listen slowly and rewind often, as there are so many names of people, ships, naval terms, locations, and more. The audiobook narrator is phenomenal despite some of the tedious parts.
Being American, most 1700s/1800s history taught about slavery and abolition takes place stateside. This book chronicles the multinational naval aspect, when the trafficking of enslaved Africans was made illegal by the British, but not yet illegal by the Spanish, French, Portuguese, Brazilians, etc. "By 1828 perhaps the only thing that was clear was that…Britain was basically alone on the waters if it wanted to stop the slave trade. And there was so much water.”
This book covers the sheer complexity of the macroeconomic and legal issues of policing international waters to locate and capture well-financed slave ships, and how much those ships/captains lied and committed horrible acts of violence to evade capture and consequences. “Naively it seemed, many of England’s abolitionists, and at least some politicians, had expected the eradication of the trade to be a relatively simple endeavor that would pave the way to abolition of slavery itself, imagining it would take a scant few years perhaps. Slavers in large part simply contrived new methods to evade condemnation, even if captured.” “As long as there was a single flag to hide behind, the unscrupulous would exploit it.”
And now to the title character: The Black Joke is the name of a famous ship that was originally used to transport enslaved Africans, but after it was captured by the British, was used to police the waters off the coast of Western Africa to stop other slave ships from completing their journeys. Aside from the above, there are unending issues like illness (yellow fever), the dangerousness of the job, staffing/leadership/bureaucracy of the ship and the navy, and how much work was done by indigenous “kroo” members.
Britain is hardly a simple protagonist, however. Despite “freeing” thousands of enslaved people on ships: (this is paraphrased) Liberation was not freedom. The newly liberated Africans became British, whether they wanted to or not, and the adults were given three options. They could become free apprentices in the West Indies, join a segregated regiment of troops, or settle on one of the estates bordering Freetown. Unofficial 4th option…shipped off to the hinterlands. Fifth possibility…succumb to illnesses contracted on board slave ships and died within months. “One could easily be forgiven for forgetting that this process was ostensibly meant to be liberatory.”
Apprenticeship was rather slavery-adjacent in that the people who “chose” it would be shipped…to one of the British colonies where they were required to perform labor with minimal or no compensation for a term not exceeding 14 years. (Guess what 80% of them did? Harvested sugar cane.) Apprenticeships were proxy slavery. The common bond throughout was colonization. The jobs being assigned to receptive Africans were unquestionably in service of British Empire.
I had to listen slowly and rewind often, as there are so many names of people, ships, naval terms, locations, and more. The audiobook narrator is phenomenal despite some of the tedious parts.
August 11, 2023
HMS Black Joke was a a Royal Navy vessel which began its life as a slave transport ship in the mid 1820s. Captured by the Royal Navy in 1827, this uniquely speedy brig was repurposed for hunting down and capturing slaving ships, instead--and it was exceedingly good at it. Part of the West African Squadron, HMS Black Joke was tasked with policing the sea for illegal slave traders, bringing them to justice (the definition of which changed a lot over time), and "liberating" the enslaved on-board. Under the watchful eye of three capable commanders over its five years of service (Lt. William Turner, Lt. Henry Downes, and Lt. William Ramsay), Black Joke became one of the most successful slave capturing ships in the entire West African Squadron--assisting in the liberation of thousands of enslaved people.
Author A.E. Rooks fills out the story of HMS Black Joke with the story of the West African Squadron and the complex sociopolitical situation in various nations around the world at the time which governed their actions. Time and again political and ideological feuds on both the national and international levels shifted the ground that those tasked with stopping the slave trade stood on. As evidenced by the recorded frustrations of West African Squadron Commodore Sir Francis Augustus Collier in various letters, it surely felt like they were being either ignored or actively fought against by the government in carrying out their assigned mission.
Slavery was still rampant, and the conditions on these slaving ships was appalling. Rooks states in the beginning of the book that she hopes to bring to light the harrowing experiences of the enslaved. However, she also does a good job of highlighting the difficulties individuals faced when standing up against the cold economic force of African slavery. As one might imagine, the stories of the enslaved individuals are likely lost to history forever, but in telling the story of those who were fighting to end the slave trade, we can examine things from a different angle.
This is not a history with easy answers and clear heroes and villains. While there are plenty of people who act valiantly and often do the right thing, there are always gray areas--and of course there are the slavers themselves who often act with terrible inhumanity.
I thought this story was interesting and well-told. I think one of the authors goals was to make audiences wonder what men like Collier might have accomplished with the full financial and political backing of the British government. How many lives might have been saved? Well, "saved" is probably too generous a term for the countless liberated enslaved who found themselves forced into British citizenship and might even end up in a situation that looks a lot like indentured servitude. As Rooks points out, liberation did not necessarily mean "free." However, the question remains valid. All of the foot-dragging by those in power really did a disservice to the enslaved and the people who risked their lives to liberate them.
Author A.E. Rooks fills out the story of HMS Black Joke with the story of the West African Squadron and the complex sociopolitical situation in various nations around the world at the time which governed their actions. Time and again political and ideological feuds on both the national and international levels shifted the ground that those tasked with stopping the slave trade stood on. As evidenced by the recorded frustrations of West African Squadron Commodore Sir Francis Augustus Collier in various letters, it surely felt like they were being either ignored or actively fought against by the government in carrying out their assigned mission.
Slavery was still rampant, and the conditions on these slaving ships was appalling. Rooks states in the beginning of the book that she hopes to bring to light the harrowing experiences of the enslaved. However, she also does a good job of highlighting the difficulties individuals faced when standing up against the cold economic force of African slavery. As one might imagine, the stories of the enslaved individuals are likely lost to history forever, but in telling the story of those who were fighting to end the slave trade, we can examine things from a different angle.
This is not a history with easy answers and clear heroes and villains. While there are plenty of people who act valiantly and often do the right thing, there are always gray areas--and of course there are the slavers themselves who often act with terrible inhumanity.
I thought this story was interesting and well-told. I think one of the authors goals was to make audiences wonder what men like Collier might have accomplished with the full financial and political backing of the British government. How many lives might have been saved? Well, "saved" is probably too generous a term for the countless liberated enslaved who found themselves forced into British citizenship and might even end up in a situation that looks a lot like indentured servitude. As Rooks points out, liberation did not necessarily mean "free." However, the question remains valid. All of the foot-dragging by those in power really did a disservice to the enslaved and the people who risked their lives to liberate them.
June 11, 2022
Great Britain outlawed the slave trade in 1807. This was a fact that I had to memorize in high school, but I had never stopped to think about how that actually worked. My classes did not get into that, either: purposefully or not, they gave the impression that the transatlantic slave trade stopped just because Great Britain said so.
Of course, as I realized a few pages into this book, stopping to think about the situation pokes holes into that idea. People who were making money off the slave trade would not want to stop. Patrolling an entire ocean is awfully hard. Taken together, people would try to break this rule. Who was going to stop them?
This is where Rooks’ book comes in. The Black Joke was a ship in the West Africa Squadron, which was responsible for enforcing the British ban. It became famous—notorious in the eyes of slave traders—for the number of ships that it captured. The story of the Black Joke touches on all of the factors that made its mission more difficult, from the factors above to international treaties and the ease with which captured ships could end up in slavers’ hands again, and everything in between. Along the way, I was reminded of the horrors and inhumanity of the slave trade, especially as the conditions on the captured ships are described. To remember the enslaved people who were on the ships that the Black Joke captured, the first page from the roster of each captured ship is included in the book. Although these people did not have to make the full journey into a life of slavery, their lives after “liberation” often fell far short of a free life.
Rooks delivers a well-researched narrative with a unique voice that doesn’t sound like a dry history book. I learned a lot. I recommend this book to pretty much anyone, as it will bring to life some of the isolated facts we learned in history class and make you think about plenty of things that weren’t discussed.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
Of course, as I realized a few pages into this book, stopping to think about the situation pokes holes into that idea. People who were making money off the slave trade would not want to stop. Patrolling an entire ocean is awfully hard. Taken together, people would try to break this rule. Who was going to stop them?
This is where Rooks’ book comes in. The Black Joke was a ship in the West Africa Squadron, which was responsible for enforcing the British ban. It became famous—notorious in the eyes of slave traders—for the number of ships that it captured. The story of the Black Joke touches on all of the factors that made its mission more difficult, from the factors above to international treaties and the ease with which captured ships could end up in slavers’ hands again, and everything in between. Along the way, I was reminded of the horrors and inhumanity of the slave trade, especially as the conditions on the captured ships are described. To remember the enslaved people who were on the ships that the Black Joke captured, the first page from the roster of each captured ship is included in the book. Although these people did not have to make the full journey into a life of slavery, their lives after “liberation” often fell far short of a free life.
Rooks delivers a well-researched narrative with a unique voice that doesn’t sound like a dry history book. I learned a lot. I recommend this book to pretty much anyone, as it will bring to life some of the isolated facts we learned in history class and make you think about plenty of things that weren’t discussed.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
April 11, 2022
Triumphant. My interest was more in maritime history than the political angle, but this book does such an excellent job shedding light on the despicably horrific nature of the slave trade, that one can't help but become enmeshed in that angle of the story as well. Excellent attention is paid to the motivations of various Royal Navy officers (and the crews), the various and changing positions of the maritime powers of the time, and the tremendous risk taken by the officer in charge of a Royal Navy vessel upon the decision to seize another ship--due to the vagaries of changing treaties, the propensity of slavers to fly false flags and produce false documents, and the lack of instant availability of legal counsel. The understaffed and forgotten West Africa Squadron, without question, saved many lives. Despite England's not yet fully realized committment to abolition, Black Joke and the WAS mark an important point in history where we can see both the dark past and the path forward to a future free of slavery in all forms.
Congratulations to the author on a well researched and well written book. It's been years since I've found a particularly tasty sentence and passage to add to my folder of vocabulary and writings to keep around and enjoy later.
Tip for a future reader: Pay attention to the first mention of Kroomen. They keep popping up.
Congratulations to the author on a well researched and well written book. It's been years since I've found a particularly tasty sentence and passage to add to my folder of vocabulary and writings to keep around and enjoy later.
Tip for a future reader: Pay attention to the first mention of Kroomen. They keep popping up.
May 11, 2023
“The Black Joke” by A. E. Rooks was a well written and certainly exceptionally researched book about the slave trade off the west coast of Africa in the 1820’s to 1832. More specifically it was a great read about a particular ship, the Black Joke.
The Black Joke began its sea life as a “slaver”, a ship transporting slaves from Africa to the Western Hemisphere. It was extremely well designed and among the fastest ships of its time. After being captured, as slavers were, it was auctioned off as prize money for the capturing crew. The commodore of the capturing ship bought her and added the sleek ship to his fleet in the Royal Navy and this rechristened her Black Joke.
The ship became both famous, as did its captains, for its speed and ability to capture slavers, as well as becoming dreaded by all coastal slavers. The ship seemed to carry a great deal of luck with her as well.
This book by Rook follows the ship’s history from capture to ultimate demise. An act of jealousy resulted in her end. The author did a fantastic job explaining the atmosphere of the times in the West African Squad (WAS), the Royal Navy and of course the ship’s legacy. A great read. Well worth the time.
The Black Joke began its sea life as a “slaver”, a ship transporting slaves from Africa to the Western Hemisphere. It was extremely well designed and among the fastest ships of its time. After being captured, as slavers were, it was auctioned off as prize money for the capturing crew. The commodore of the capturing ship bought her and added the sleek ship to his fleet in the Royal Navy and this rechristened her Black Joke.
The ship became both famous, as did its captains, for its speed and ability to capture slavers, as well as becoming dreaded by all coastal slavers. The ship seemed to carry a great deal of luck with her as well.
This book by Rook follows the ship’s history from capture to ultimate demise. An act of jealousy resulted in her end. The author did a fantastic job explaining the atmosphere of the times in the West African Squad (WAS), the Royal Navy and of course the ship’s legacy. A great read. Well worth the time.
January 24, 2023
I saw this book in a listing of history books, I grabbed it to learn of this chapter of World History. It is a historical work, describing the actions of one ship as part of the British Navy of the late 1820’s and how it fit into the West AfricaCommand, asked in Freetown. Sierra Leone, Africa. It prime mission, was to chase down the “slaver” ships as they began their voyage out of the slave ports of Africa, heading to various ports in the western hemisphere. Mostly Brazil.
The book speaks about laws being changed on slave trade, but for years, there were many ways that the slave traders kept working. This ship built a reputation of being able to catch ships due to its speed and then capture and return the ship to Freetown, for trial and auction.
I learned a lot about a topic that is a dark cloud in world history. But this did show how some countries were trying ti stop it, and others in this time frame, we’re not. Mostly due to other issues and conflicts.
The Black Joke was a good read.
The book speaks about laws being changed on slave trade, but for years, there were many ways that the slave traders kept working. This ship built a reputation of being able to catch ships due to its speed and then capture and return the ship to Freetown, for trial and auction.
I learned a lot about a topic that is a dark cloud in world history. But this did show how some countries were trying ti stop it, and others in this time frame, we’re not. Mostly due to other issues and conflicts.
The Black Joke was a good read.
March 29, 2023
Well-researched and superbly penned!! This historical investigation of one ship against a world of opposition is an adventurous investigation that relates the historical fact with extraordinary feeling, transmitting all the tension imaginable as ships chased and dodged one another on eerie fog-heavy, shark-infested seas, during a time when domineering nations drew invisible lines in the earth and filled stolen lands with stolen lives.
Rooks paints the truth of the drastic inhumane conditions on slave-ships with great respect for those who suffered, though she does not shy away from details; she manages to celebrate the small victories amid an onslaught avalanche of unthinkable injustices; she brings to light an unbiased, though engaging look at the history of this daring sole campaigner and its impossible assignment on the deadly seas.
A worthwhile lesson for any lover of British Naval history, but probably one of the most important little ships in the history of the British Navy because of its most holy mission.
Rooks paints the truth of the drastic inhumane conditions on slave-ships with great respect for those who suffered, though she does not shy away from details; she manages to celebrate the small victories amid an onslaught avalanche of unthinkable injustices; she brings to light an unbiased, though engaging look at the history of this daring sole campaigner and its impossible assignment on the deadly seas.
A worthwhile lesson for any lover of British Naval history, but probably one of the most important little ships in the history of the British Navy because of its most holy mission.
March 26, 2022
This book tells the story of the Black Joke, a former slaver who converted to the opposite side, trying to eliminate the slave trade. The Black Joke was arguably the best at capturing the "prize" of the British squadron that patrolled the African coast. The author gathered enough evidence to detail the captures though the records are sparse. That the British felt compelled to enforce their superiority may explain the roots of US foreign policy. The various flags that the slavers flew show that racism is an international blight.
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