The Black Joke

The True Story of One Ship's Battle Against the Slave Trade

by A.E. Rooks

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Pub Date Jan 18 2022 | Archive Date Jul 21 2022

Description

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.

Available Editions

EDITION	Other Format
ISBN	9781982128265
PRICE	$29.00 (USD)
PAGES	400

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Featured Reviews

Evan L, Reviewer

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.

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Ron B, Reviewer

A interesting read on the efforts of the British navy to stop the slave trade in the 1800’s. The efforts of the ship the Black Joke was of particular praise. The ship and its history against slavery was truly inspirational. The story is a fascinating read and one to hold your interest.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Faith H, Reviewer

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- presearched, but was written with a light touch so I never found it dull.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.