Unraveling the Intricacies of Racial Passing in Jamaican Colonial Society

Dis a fi mi History Podcast

In this captivating episode of the Dis a fi mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris engages in a stimulating conversation with legal historian Dr. Justine K. Collins. They highlight a fascinating aspect of Jamaican colonial history: the concept of racial passing and its complex interplay with legal proceedings. Significantly, Dr. Collins delivers an into deep analysis of the Jamaican plantocracy's crafty usage of private bills to seize and secure power, contributing to the eventful assertion of white dominion.

Dr. Collins’ scholarly exploration unearths the profound influence such private bills had on altering class and racial perspectives within Jamaican society. These bills had the profound effect of elevating the status of mixed-race children, effectively showcasing racial passing in a society where skin color and lineage were paramount. A key part of their dialogue surrounds the convoluted process of racial identification during this historical period, exploring the variety of terms that meticulously detailed differing levels of blackness or whiteness.

Their conversation holds relevance beyond history, as it uncovers a purposely built social hierarchy and the normative implications such classifications carried on facets like property ownership, political inclusion, and communal rank. Gain a deeper understanding of these complexities, enriched by Dr. Collins’ extensive research on these private bills and her valuable use of first-hand records from the National Archives in Kew, London.

Dive into the lesser-discussed nuances of Caribbean history, moving beyond the typical discourse surrounding slavery and tourism. Recognize the enduring theme of division and control manifesting from the concept of race as stipulated in these bills, extending to the division within the 'free people of color'. Discover how these narratives were manipulated to emphasize social difference and preserve the status quo, illustrating the law's role not merely as a tool for maintaining order, but a weapon wielded for societal manipulation.

This riveting episode provides invaluable insight for those interested in family history or broader societal dynamics. It offers a glimpse into a societal framework moulded over time, some elements of which still echo in today's structures. Join this academic journey through documented laws and their far-reaching implications on both individuals and society at large.

BIO:

Dr. Collins is a legal historian and specialises in the intersection of law and society particularly within colonial slavery laws of the Atlantic World. She completed her doctoral studies at the Goethe University Frankfurt in conjunction with the Max Planck Institute for European Legal History and Legal Theory in Frankfurt, Germany. Her thesis engaged legal comparative analysis to trace the origins and influences of the British Caribbean slavery codes. This thesis research - Tracing British West Indian Slavery: An Analysis of Legal Transplants - was published by Routledge in 2021.

Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Justine-K-Collins/dp/1032122994

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Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)

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