From Colonial Marines to Caribbean Pioneers: The Merikins of Trinidad

Caribbean American Heritage Month invites us to explore the rich tapestry of identities that shape our diaspora experience. In this episode, we uncover the fascinating yet often overlooked story of "The Merikins" – formerly enslaved Black people who joined British forces during the War of 1812 and later established thriving communities in southern Trinidad. After gaining their freedom through military service, these remarkable individuals received land grants from the British in 1815-1816. In Trinidad, they built productive agricultural settlements, but their contribution extends far beyond farming. They maintained powerful cultural and religious traditions that are still recognized today.

Discover more about this remarkable chapter in Caribbean history with us. And while you celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month, don't forget to check out our first-ever merch drop, curated playlist, and reading list on our website!

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Strictly Facts
• 1:40 Caribbean American Heritage Month Celebration
• 3:07 The Americans: Trinidad's Black Settlers
• 4:58 Faith and Cultural Preservation
• 5:58 Althea McNish: American Descendant Legacy
• 9:42 Caribbean Identity and Closing Thoughts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to Strictly Facts, a guide to Caribbean history and culture hosted by me, alexandria Miller. Strictly Facts teaches the history, politics and activism of the Caribbean and connects these themes to contemporary music and popular culture. Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Strictly Facts, a guide to Caribbean history and culture, your favorite space for deep dives into Caribbean history, untold stories and cultural connection. I'm your host, alexandria Miller, and I couldn't be more excited to be back with you for another episode, especially during this very special time of year. It's June, which means it's officially Caribbean American Heritage Month. Every June, I find myself reflecting not only on where we've come from, but how far we've come. It's a moment to honor our ancestors, celebrate our creativity and uplift the stories of our people that often go untold, stories that are global, resilient and powerful. For those of us in the diaspora, caribbean American Heritage Month is even more important and impactful because when you're away from home, whether you're one generation or five generations removed, cultural grounding becomes essential. It's how we stay connected, it's how we preserve memory and it's how we resist erasure. This month, it's about us. It's about our languages, our music, our migration journeys, our food, our resistance, our joy, our grief, even all of it. So, whether you're Jamaican in the Bronx, trinidadian in Toronto or Haitian in Miami, this celebration is for you. Me, this celebration is for you. Now I've got some exciting news before we get into today's episode. To help us mark this year's Caribbean American Heritage Month, we've officially launched our first ever merch drop. That's right. You can support Strictly Facts and rep your Caribbean pride with our very first item. It's something I've poured a lot of time and thought into, and so I really hope you all like it and support. If you're able, you can find it on our website, shopstrictlyfactspodcom, as well as in our link tree and our bios and everything. And while you're there, make sure to check out the Strictly Facts Caribbean American Heritage Month 2025 playlist featuring music from across the diaspora. Expect everything from conscious reggae to sweet salsa a little bit of something for everyone and something that honors all of the tremendous figures highlighted on our merch. We've also created a reading list with works on and by Caribbean scholars, activists, about their lives and experience, for your summertime reading pleasure. These are books that have moved me, taught me and grounded my own cultural journey, and I hope they'll do the same for you.

Speaker 1: 2:58

Okay, so now that we've handled business. Let's get into today's topic business. Let's get into today's topic.

Speaker 1: 3:08

Today we're taking a closer look into the remarkable yet often overlooked group in Trinidadian and Caribbean history the Americans. If you had a moment to listen to our last episode, you might remember Matthew Taylor and I briefly talking about the Americans and their arrival to Trinidad following the War of 1812. They were formerly enslaved Black people in the US who had joined the British Colonial Marines fighting against the US in exchange for their freedom. When the war ended, the British honored their promise and offered them land in southern Trinidad. Now, in today's episode, we're diving a little bit deeper into what happened after their arrival. How did these free Black Americans adapt to a Caribbean island? How did they build their lives and how have their contributions shaped modern Trinidad? For this noteworthy take on what it means to be both Caribbean and American. For Caribbean American Heritage Month.

Speaker 1: 4:06

As we noted in our last episode, the Americans arrived in Trinidad in 1815 and 1816 and were settled in the thick forested lands of the south. The British colonial office divided them into six military companies based on their service structure during the war, and each company was assigned its own village, from the first company village to the sixth company, the largest group of Americans were granted 16 acres of land, which was a revolutionary concept at the time. Remember, these were people who had not just recently gained their freedom, but some of whom had never even owned anything likely. And they were now not only free but also had land not just for their survival but for legacy as well. And they used that land their survival before legacy as well. And they used that land.

Speaker 1: 4:58

The Americans were well known for their farming skills growing cocoa, coffee, rice, cassava and ground provisions. Over time they became vital to the agricultural economy of southern Trinidad. But what's equally powerful is how they maintained their identity. They brought with them strong religious traditions. How they maintained their identity they brought with them strong religious traditions, especially rooted in Black American Baptist practices. Their worship involved spiritual procession, singing, clapping, drumming, call and response, which is not necessarily new to the region but, of course, in their own practices and tradition. This all went on to form and evolve into the spiritual Baptist faith in Trinidad. Despite colonial attempts to suppress their religion, most notably with the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance in 1917, the Americans and their descendants continued to practice in secret, passing on oral traditions, songs and sacred knowledge. And here's where the legacy gets even deeper.

Speaker 1: 5:58

One of the most influential American descendant figures is Althea McNish, a pioneering Black British textile designer who left an indelible mark on 20th century fashion and design. Born in Port of Spain in 1924, mcnish traced her ancestry directly back to American communities. She migrated to the UK in the 1950s and became the first Black British textile designer to gain international recognition, creating vibrant Caribbean-inspired fabrics for many fashion houses and clients like the Liberty of London, dior and the Royal Family. Her bold use of color and tropical motifs brought a distinctly Caribbean aesthetic into post-war British design, challenging Eurocentric norms and making space for Black creativity on the global stage. Magnet's legacy is a powerful reminder that the American story extends far beyond Trinidad. It lives on in the global impact of their descendants.

Speaker 1: 7:05

You all know I am one for the books and the resources that we can learn more, and I think this story of Althea Magnitia's life really comes to fore when we think of one particular book that I think everybody should check out the Americans Free Black Settlers in Trinidad 1815 to 1816, by John Weiss, who I believe was Althea's husband for almost 50 years before their passing. It is a must-read if you're interested in the broader historical context. It uses British archives, land-grant records and oral testimony to piece together the American story in incredible detail. Furthermore, american descendants have done an incredible job of preserving their unique history. Many still live in the original company villages. Families pass down the land, the stories and the traditions. Trinidadian cultural workers, historians and artists have all contributed to preserving American memory, including Althea McNish's own family, who founded the American Commission in 2015 to keep the American history alive. There is also a beautiful series by the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago, the National Library of Information System Authority and the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, which interviews modern day descendants about their ancestors' journeys and how they are keeping the American spirit alive today. So of course, I will link that in our show notes as well as on our website for you all to check out. Though I wasn't able to get in touch with one of the American descendants in time for this recording, I am hopeful we'll be able to learn more from their story on Strictly Facts soon.

Speaker 1: 8:56

The story of the Americans reminds us that Caribbean history is not a monolith. We're not just descendants of enslaved people who arrived directly from the continent. We are also the children of rebels, soldiers, farmers, preachers and pioneers who've come from different parts of the world. The Americans brought a unique blend of Black American Southern culture, christian faith and military discipline to the Caribbean and made it their own. Their journey tells us something powerful about identity, adaptation and resistance. Even in the midst of dislocation and trauma, they created community, they planted roots and they passed on a legacy. So, as we continue to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month, I encourage you to remember diversity of our communities, like the Americans, and our resilience. Look them up, read about them, share their story, because our history lives on in carnival, in cuisine, but as well as in the prayers, protests and preservation of who we are.

Speaker 1: 10:02

Thank you so much for spending a bit of time as we continue to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. If you've learned something new, I'd love it, if you share this episode with someone who might appreciate it. And don't forget to check out our merch playlist and reading list, all available on strictlyfactspodcom. And if you're enjoying our exploration of Caribbean military history and its offshoots, like this episode on the Americans, tag us on social at strictlyfactspod or send us a voice note. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Until next time, keep learning, keep reflecting and, as always, keep honoring our Caribbean history Lickle more. Thanks for tuning in to Strictly Facts. Visit strictlyfactspodcastcom for more information from each episode. Follow us at strictlyfactspod on Instagram and facebook and at strictly facts pd on twitter.