The Hidden Black Society They Don't Teach You About

[Uncle Joe]

Deep in the Great Dismal Swamp, thousands of Black people created a hidden free society, one that defied slavery for centuries. This is the story of the rebels who turned a swamp into a sanctuary.

This episode of In The Margins is part of PBS’ America@250 collection, celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary. Democracy is built on participation. Get involved at https://vote.org/pbs

In The Margins is a series that covers the history they didn’t teach in school, exploring obscure, yet captivating tales that offer unique insights into their time and place.

Sources used in this episode:
-Dismal Freedom, A History of the Maroons of the Great Dismal Swamp by J. Brent Morris
-Slavery's Exiles, The Story of the American Maroons by Sylviane A. Diouf
-Armed in the Great Swamp: Fear, Maroon Insurrection, and the Insurgent Ecology of the Great Dismal Swamp by Kathryn Benjamin Golden