“ Maroon” is a term Europeans called Africans who escaped from enslavement within Europe’s colonies in the Americas. Throughout the slavery era, many maroons established communities of free Africans.
Fort Mose in Spanish Florida (1738-1763) was one such community. In the Dutch colony of Suriname, in South America established free communities in the forrest away from plantations.
This weekend the Fort Mose Historical Society celebrates both communities.
Friday, May 8th
The Maroons (Free Africans) of Fort Mose.
9:00 AM - 4:30PM - Opportunity to tour the newly
reconstructed Fort Mose I.
10:00 AM - 12 Noon - African drummers
12:30PM - 1:30PM - Fort Mose Militia Musket and Cannon
Demonstration.
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM - Professor Lori Lee, Flagler College,
speaks on latest findings from archaeological excavations
of the Maroon community in Fort Mose II.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Women of Mose demonstrate the Fort
Mose maroons ‘ community life.
Saturday, May 9th
Glympses of Communities of Escaped formerly enslaved Africans in St Augustine and in Suriname
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM - Opportunity to tour the recently reconstructed
Fort Mose I.
10:00 AM - 12 Noon - African Drummers
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM - Fort Mose Militia Musket and Cannon
Demonstration.
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM - Professor David Jamison, Edward Waters
University, speaks on the community of escaped formerly
enslaved Africans (Maroons in Suriname).
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Women of Mose demonstrate community
life in Fort Mose
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream