Paul Crooks was intrigued to learn his great great great grandfather walked free from the Cousins Cove sugar plantation, Jamaica in 1838. This prompted Paul’s curiosity about what lay behind the decision to free the enslaved people of the Caribbean.
In this talk, Paul will:
- discuss the perfect storm of events that ultimately led to the British government legislating to end the system of enslavement in British colonies.
- Implicate the forebears of African Caribbean people in bringing about the demise of slavery in the British Colonies.
Who is this talk for?
The talk is suitable for you if you want to develop your knowledge and understanding of black history
About the speaker
Paul Crooks is a published author and trailblazing genealogist with a specialist interest in Black ancestry. He pioneered research into African Caribbean genealogy during the 1990s when he became the first to trace his family history from London, back six generations, to ancestors captured off the West African coast 200 years ago. Paul discovered that his ancestors were enslaved on a sugar plantation in Jamaica.
Paul gained national recognition for his work when his acclaimed historical novel Ancestors (based on the true story of the author’s African ancestors) was published in 2002. He appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? (Moira Stuart) as the expert in African Caribbean genealogy. His second book A Tree Without Roots is the authoritative guide to tracing African, British and Asian Caribbean ancestry.
Paul is credited with inspiring an upsurge in interest in Black and British ancestry. He is also recognised for having spawned an industry in African Caribbean genealogy.
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