Peter Riley<p>In 1788, 15 <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/convicts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>convicts</span></a> were <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/African" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>African</span></a>. <br>By 1840 the number rose to 500. <br>David Stuurman, a South African chief transported for anti-colonial <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/insurrection" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>insurrection</span></a>; <br>John Caesar, who became Australia’s first <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/bushranger" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>bushranger</span></a>; <br>Billy Blue, the stylishly dressed ferryman who gave his name to Sydney’s <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BluesPoint" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BluesPoint</span></a>; <br>William Cuffay, London <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Chartist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Chartist</span></a> who led the development of Australia’s labour movement. <br>Two young cousins from <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Mauritius" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Mauritius</span></a>—girls aged just 9 and 12.</p><p><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Black-Convicts/Santilla-Chingaipe/9781761107238" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">simonandschuster.com.au/books/</span><span class="invisible">Black-Convicts/Santilla-Chingaipe/9781761107238</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BlackHistoryMonth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BlackHistoryMonth</span></a></p>