The Right Excellent Samuel Sharpe was a leader in the 1831 Baptist War or Christmas Rebellion. On May 23, 1832 he was hanged to death for his involvement.
He is believed to have been born around 1801 and was a deacon or an"Daddy" in the Native Baptist Church. He may have died under the regime of slavery but he was mentally free, insisting on being treated with dignity and fairness.
At the heart of the uprising, which was a peaceful resistance on the part of the enslaved, was the demand that the enslaved be compensated for their labour. When that request was denied by the plantation owners, the enslaved took up arms.
In response the British called out the militia and hundreds were executed and flogged. Sam Sharpe was himself hanged the following year.
Although he didn't live to see it, the bad press resulting from uprising helped usher in the Abolition Act of 1833. We salute our national hero Sam Sharpe for his sacrifice, bravery, and leadership.
To learn more about his remarkable life, join us for a tour of National Heroes Park where we discuss how he and others fought against oppression and injustice. Check our bio for the link to our website and tours
The Right Excellent Samuel Sharpe is the only national hero who died a slave. The others either lived post Emancipation or freed themselves from slavery. Daddy Sharpe, though, we could say was mentally free, insisting on being treated with dignity and fairness.
In 1831 he was a leader in what is termed the Baptist War, Christmas Rebellion, or sometimes the Sam Sharpe Rebellion. It was meant to be a peaceful rebellion, insisting on being paid for their labour. The spirit of peace stemmed from their adherence to Native Baptist Christian beliefs. The planters and authorities however resisted their very reasonable claims to for compensation and so the enslaved took up arms.
The British called out the militia and there was a brutal suppression of the rebellion. Hundreds were killed and more were flogged. Sam Sharpe himself was hanged on May 23, 1832.
Although Sam Sharpe didn't live to see the impact, their fight against slavery helped usher in the Abolition Act in 1833. We are proud of Sam Sharpe, salute his bravery, and celebrate his legacy.
Visit National Heroes Park with us to learn even more about this fascinating part of Jamaican history.
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