“This is slavery. I tell it to let English people know the truth; and I hope they will never leave off to pray God, and call loud to the great King of England, till all the poor blacks be given free, and slavery done up for evermore.”

—Mary Prince, 23

 

Cause and Consequence

 

How did The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Related by Herself promote change?

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The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Related by Herself is the result of a collaborative, abolitionist writing team. Mary Prince was the storyteller, Susanna Strickland was the compiler, and Thomas Pringle was the editor and financial backer of the project. It was published at the height of the abolitionist movement.

Front cover of a first edition of The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Related by Herself published in the latter half of February, 1831. Now a book digitized by Google, the original is in the collection of the British National Library.

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What were the short term and long term consequences of Mary Prince's resistance to enslavement and The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Related by Herself? 

 

Hint: What was the goal of Abolition? Why was Mary Prince recognized as a National Hero of Bermuda in 2012? and Why is August 2nd celebrated as Mary Prince Day in Bermuda?

 

 

Slavery Abolition Act of 1833:

• third reading 26 July 1833;

• Royal Assent 28 August 1833;

• commencement 1 August 1834.

 

The third section states that “all slaves who may at any Time previous to the passing of this Act have been brought with the Consent of their Possessors, and all apprenticed Labourers who may hereafter with the like Consent be brought, into any part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, shall from and after the passing of this Act be absolutely and entirely free to all intents and Purposes whatsoever.”