The Zong Massacre occurred on Nov. 29, 1781. The Zong, a slave ship, was headed towards Jamaica when the captain gave the order to throw 54 enslaved Africans overboard


The Zong Massacre occurred on Nov. 29, 1781.  The Zong, a slave ship, was headed towards Jamaica when the captain gave the order to throw 54 enslaved Africans overboard

In November 1781, the British crew of the slave ship Zong threw dozens of enslaved Africans overboard to preserve supplies after the ship became stranded in a low-wind area

The crew drowned over 50 women and children on the first day, and then jettisoned about 70 more people, who, still chained, quickly sank into the sea. Though one African captive who spoke English begged the crew to let them live, promising that he and the others could live without food or water until the ship reached Jamaica, the crew continued to mercilessly throw captives overboard. In all, 133 Africans were killed during the massacre, and while most were forcibly thrown into the water by the ship's crew, some ultimately jumped and took their own lives.



Another 78 were drowned over the next two days. By the time the ship had reached the Caribbean, 132 persons had been murdered. When the ship returned to England, the owners wished to be compensated the full value for each enslaved African lost.
The claim might have been honored if it had not been Olaudah Equiano (also known as Gustavus Vassa), who had once been enslaved. While living in England, he learned of the tragedy and alerted an abolitionist friend. The case went to court.
At first the jury ruled in favor of the ship’s owners. Since it was permissible to kill animals for the safety of the ship, they decided, it was permissible to kill enslaved people for the same reason. The insurance company appealed, and the case was retried.
This time the court decided that the Africans on board the ship were people.

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