Miguel froze as the Overseer ran towards him— ducking, he narrowly missed the punch intended for his face.
Without hesitating Miguel grabbed the Overseer’s sword, slicing it through the air. He’d had enough!
Miguel escaped into the mountains where he began training. Time passed and other runaways joined him — soon he was the leader of a maroon colony.
Miguel worked hard to prepare his people for battle. One morning they marched to the mines that once enslaved them.
Weapons raised, they broke down the door — their former enslavers didn’t stand a chance. They captured the guards, executing those who were especially evil, and freeing loved ones still enslaved.
After the revolt, Miguel became Miguel I de Buría, the first and only King of African descent to rule what is now modern day Venezuela. His was one of the FIRST EVER slave revolts and he inspired other revolts even after his death in 1555 - and we can learn from him too.
As we build strong communities, we must ask ourselves, “What does protection and safety look like for us? Can we live safely outside of white supremacy?”
King Miguel believed in this possibility, not just for himself but for his people. As we fight for liberation, how do we ensure our communities are prepared?