Account of the Black Charaibs in the Island of St Vincent's (Cass Library of West Indian Studies) [Hardcover]

Sir Williams Young (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 1971 | ISBN-10: 0714619558 | ISBN-13: 978-0714619552 | Edition: New ed of 1795 ed

Compiled from the original documents of Sir William Young who headed a commission to the island after it was annexed to Britain in 1763, this history shows an independent people in their struggle against the Red Charaibs and then against the British settlers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 125 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; New ed of 1795 ed edition (April 26, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714619558
• ISBN-13: 978-0714619552
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,415,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > History > Americas > Caribbean & West Indies > Saint Vincent

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HONDURAS GARAFINA VIA ST VINCENTS AND AFRICA, January 13, 2001

By 

"ripforlife" (RESTON, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Account of the Black Charaibs in the Island of St Vincent's (Cass Library of West Indian Studies) (Hardcover)

This is the first book I have ever read which speaks to the origin of both St. Vincents Island and what today we call Honduras. The majesty of precolonial East African people lives on through the African slaves who were washed ashore on St. Vincents and lived to grow and thrive. So successful were they, that the mighty English military had to physically capture and deport them to Honduras, where they again grew and thrived.

The descendents of those very people now populate much of today's Honduras and St. Vincents Island. They fashioned their own language, which has survived and is now known as garifanu. This book is must reading for those who are serious about the real Central American History.

4.0 out of 5 stars Can You Believe an Official Writing 100 Years after the Fact, August 4, 2004

By 

Elizabeth, the Traveler (Atlanta, Georgia) (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Account of the Black Charaibs in the Island of St Vincent's (Cass Library of West Indian Studies) (Hardcover)

This is a reprint of a book assembled from a number of documents in 1795, as William Young speculated over where St. Vincent was for former African slaves, who intermarried with the indigenous people, the Caribs, or the Europeans, should have rights to the land of a small Caribbean country. More recent writers have another take on the real origins of the Black Charibs...where they from a single wrecked slave ship, or were they slaves who escaped from neighboring islands to hide in the remote mountains of St. Vincent ?

In any case it is jarring to read the conclusion of this book, written so many years ago, when Young stated that either the Black Caribs or the Europeans must go, and the decision was to send these people off their home island.

In order to appreciate the book, some reading in the history of the Caribbean and colonialism is in order, and a 2002 book by St. Vincent author, publisher and book store owner, Adams, called People on the Move would be a useful bit of background reading.

It could also be used for study in a university level course in historigraphy

Too bad the book is so expensive.