Episode 3.2. The HMS Black Joke and the Battle Against the Slave Trade

Between 1827 and 1832, one ship—the Black Joke—captured thirteen slave ships and freed an incredible 3,000 people. The true story of the Black Joke is about so much more than one ship; today we also talk about diversity among sailors, gay relationships in the British navy, Britain’s complicated relationship with the slave trade, and how slavery was finally abolished. Our guest is historian and Jeopardy champion AE Rooks, author of the Mountbatten Maritime Media Awards’ Best Book of 2022, The Black Joke: The True Story of One Ship’s Battle Against the Slave Trade.