Author: histofcolour

The Abduction of Mixed-Race Children under the British Empire

Following the landmark ruling on métis kidnappings in the Belgian Congo, which will see the Belgian government pay reparations for its crimes against humanity, it is time for Britain to confront a dark chapter of its own history. Throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, British missionaries and administrators designed boarding schools where mixed-race children … Continue reading The Abduction of Mixed-Race Children under the British Empire →

The Bangladesh Liberation War

Carving up a British Colony It was a condition of being granted independence from the British Empire that the Indian subcontinent be divided into two states: Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. When the British drew up the borders of Pakistan in 1947, they created an inherently divided nation. East Pakistan* and West Pakistan were not … Continue reading The Bangladesh Liberation War →

The “Mau Mau” Rebellion

British Settler Colonialism in Kenya With the creation of the British East African Protectorate in 1895, the British Government seized the cool and fertile central upland region of Kenya. Inviting white settlers to take ownership of 60,000 acres of “White Highlands”, the British displaced the indigenous inhabitants, including the Maasai, Gĩkũyũ, Meru, and Embu ethnic … Continue reading The “Mau Mau” Rebellion →

The Colonisation of Palestine

Palestine under the Ottoman Empire Under the Ottoman Turks (1515-1917), most Palestinians lived in small rural towns and villages, producing olive oil, cotton, wool, soap, and leather. Cities like Jaffa, Jerusalem, Nablus, and Haifa were hubs for trade and culture and, occasionally, sites of political struggle. Non-Muslim subjects held dhimmi (“protected”) status if they paid … Continue reading The Colonisation of Palestine →

The Benin Bronzes

What are the Benin Bronzes? The Benin Bronzes refer to several thousand metal sculptures of ritual significance that once decorated the palace of the West African Kingdom of Benin, a wealthy Edo empire that ruled from the 10th century until 1897 in the region that is now Nigeria. With West African cast brass traditions dating … Continue reading The Benin Bronzes →