Behind the Bastards

Part Two: X-Mas Special: The Heroes Who Ended The Slave Trade

December 24, 2025

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  • The initial public reaction to the *Zorg* case ruling was galvanized by an anonymous letter published in major newspapers, which served as the catalyst for future abolitionist organizing. 
  • Olaudah Equiano's early life involved being kidnapped from the Kingdom of Benin, enduring the horrors of the Middle Passage twice, and eventually purchasing his freedom through intelligence and hard work, making him a key figure in the emerging abolitionist movement. 
  • Granville Sharp, a self-taught legal expert, became the first British person to devote his life to ending slavery after successfully defending Jonathan Strong, and his friendship with Equiano directly initiated the organized movement against the British slave trade. 
  • The guest, James Stout, promotes his book "Against the State," which focuses on anarchists at war and features stories of people who organized to build a better world through kinetic means. 
  • The hosts and guest encourage listeners to remember that entrenched evils can change quickly and that even seemingly pyrrhic victories in fighting injustice can lead to greater future effectiveness by bringing people together. 
  • Listeners are advised to pre-order James Stout's book *Against the State* from AK Press rather than from Amazon/Jeff Bezos. 

Segments

Post-Zorg Case Reaction
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(00:03:54)
  • Key Takeaway: An anonymous witness to the Gregson v. Gilbert trial published a letter detailing the shocking lack of necessity for the Zorg massacre, which reached Olaudah Equiano.
  • Summary: The initial court ruling in Gregson v. Gilbert was legally minor but provoked horror in an anonymous observer who published a letter detailing the crew’s lack of necessity for throwing 130 Africans overboard. This letter explicitly contrasted the legislature’s attention to regulating partridge hunting with the lack of inquiry into the annual kidnapping of 50,000 people. This published account was crucial because it reached Olaudah Equiano, galvanizing him into action.
Olaudah Equiano’s Early Life
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(00:07:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Olaudah Equiano was born around 1745 in Ibo (modern Nigeria) and, despite initial exposure to internal African slavery governed by rules of war or crime, was kidnapped as a child, separated from his sister, and endured the Middle Passage.
  • Summary: Equiano was born in the Kingdom of Benin and initially observed local customs regarding slavery, noting an early sense of injustice regarding gendered punishments. He was kidnapped by slavers, separated from his sister, and sold multiple times within Africa before being sold onto a slave ship. The conditions on the ship were so horrific that he wished for death, contrasting sharply with the relatively humane treatment he received before being sold to Europeans.
Equiano’s Time in England
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(00:15:47)
  • Key Takeaway: After being sold to Captain Henry Pascal, Equiano was taken to England, learned English, received education, and believed he was on the path to freedom until Pascal betrayed him by selling him again.
  • Summary: In England, Equiano was given the name Gustavus Vasa, learned Christianity, and attracted wealthy patrons who paid for his schooling, leading him to believe he would become English and free. This hope was shattered when Pascal forcibly sold him to Captain James Duran, who took him back to the West Indies, forcing Equiano to endure the Middle Passage a second time.
Equiano’s Freedom and Activism
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(00:22:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Equiano achieved freedom in 1766, aged 21, by leveraging opportunities under his Quaker owner, Robert King, to earn and save money, subsequently becoming an adventurer and writer who connected with early abolitionists like Granville Sharp.
  • Summary: Under the Quaker merchant Robert King, Equiano was allowed to work side jobs and keep his earnings, enabling him to purchase his freedom in 1766. He then traveled widely, visiting the Arctic in 1773, but remained troubled by slavery. Upon reading the news about the Zorg massacre, Equiano immediately contacted his friend, the lawyer Granville Sharp, initiating the organized fight against the slave trade.
Granville Sharp’s Background
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(00:25:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Granville Sharp was an irrepressibly smart, self-taught legal scholar who learned Hebrew and Greek to debate religious texts, and his early legal work involved successfully defending the enslaved man Jonathan Strong.
  • Summary: Sharp was born into a working-class family and apprenticed in a fabric store before dedicating himself to law and intellectual pursuits. His first major legal victory involved defending Jonathan Strong, an enslaved man brutally beaten after mistakenly believing baptism granted him freedom in England. Sharp’s successful defense of Strong, though not setting broad legal precedent, marked him as the first British person to devote his life to eradicating slavery.
The Somerset Case and Legal Precedent
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(00:36:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Granville Sharp’s defense of James Somerset in 1772, arguing slavery was unlawful in Britain, resulted in a ruling by Lord Mansfield that, despite Mansfield’s attempts to limit its scope, was widely interpreted as freeing slaves brought to Britain.
  • Summary: Sharp published arguments asserting that slavery was contrary to British law and culture, finding historical precedent dating back to 1569. The Somerset case was a crucial test where Mansfield freed Somerset but tried to avoid setting a broad legal precedent. However, the public and many observers celebrated the ruling as effectively ending slavery on British soil, leading many enslaved people to flee their masters.
The Zorg Retrial Hearing
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(00:40:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Fueled by Equiano’s information, Sharp successfully lobbied for a retrial in Gregson v. Gilbert, forcing the court to examine evidence that proved the Zorg crew acted out of financial motive rather than necessity.
  • Summary: The retrial hearing, granted by Judge Mansfield, focused on whether the crew’s actions were necessary or a result of gross incompetence and potential insurance fraud. Cross-examination revealed the crew failed to check water levels and missed opportunities to collect rainwater, suggesting the mass murder was not necessitated by disaster. The possibility that the crew killed sick slaves to collect higher insurance payouts shook even skeptical figures like Mansfield, leading him to grant the motion for a new trial.
Aftermath and Legacy
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(00:52:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Although the Zorg case did not result in a second trial or immediate legal change, it served as a critical victory by warning slave merchants against murder for profit and galvanizing abolitionists like Sharp and Equiano into organized action.
  • Summary: The failure to secure a second trial meant the Zorg case was a mixed victory, as the winning syndicate continued the slave trade, and no ruling declared enslaved people human. However, the case provided a warning to slave merchants against killing captives for insurance money and, more importantly, began the process of uniting legal minds and agitators toward a mass movement against slavery. William Grigson died wealthy in 1800, never held accountable for financing voyages that killed 16% of the Africans transported.
Guest Book Promotion
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(00:57:01)
  • Key Takeaway: James Stout’s book, “Against the State,” details the actions of anarchists at war who used kinetic means to organize and build a better world.
  • Summary: James Stout plugs his book, Against the State, which features heroes who accomplished remarkable things. The book focuses on anarchists at war who organized using kinetic means to try and build a better world. Pre-orders are available through AK Press, with the link provided in the episode description.
Concluding Philosophical Message
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(00:57:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Entrenched evils are not impossible to fight and can change quickly, and even small victories foster connections that enable fighting greater injustices later.
  • Summary: The hosts conclude by noting that seemingly entrenched and impossible evils generally are not, and they can change quickly. Victories that appear pyrrhic or meaningless are valuable because the act of fighting brings people together who become capable of fighting greater injustices more effectively. Listeners are encouraged to keep fighting.
Podcast Production Credits
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(00:58:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Behind the Bastards is a CoolZone Media production available on multiple platforms including YouTube.
  • Summary: Behind the Bastards is a production of CoolZone Media, accessible via their website, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. New episodes are released every Wednesday and Friday.
LG Gram/Windows 11 Ad
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(00:59:03)
  • Key Takeaway: LG Gram laptops, voted PC Mag’s Reader’s Choice Top Laptop brand for 2025, are promoted as thin, ultra-lightweight options compatible with Windows 11.
  • Summary: Microsoft has ended support for Windows 10, prompting an upgrade recommendation to Windows 11. LG Gram laptops are highlighted as thin and ultra-lightweight devices that support Windows 11, which provides free security updates and feature upgrades. A promotional link is provided for seasonal savings at lgusa.com/iHeart.
Airtasker Holiday Services Ad
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(00:59:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Airtasker is a platform for hiring help with tasks ranging from furniture assembly and cleaning to specific holiday needs like gift wrapping and waiting in line for viral items.
  • Summary: Airtasker connects users with taskers for jobs like furniture assembly, repairs, and organizing year-round. During the holidays, it is useful for tasks such as decorating, gift wrapping, and toy building. Users describe the need, set a budget, and choose a tasker via the app or airtasker.com.
SXSW 2024 Promotion
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(01:00:19)
  • Key Takeaway: South by Southwest (SXSW) 2024 will run concurrently in Austin from March 12th through 18th, merging innovation, film/TV, and music for discovery.
  • Summary: South by Southwest is hosting a combined event featuring innovation, film/TV, and music running concurrently in Austin from March 12th through 18th. The event promises bold storytelling and groundbreaking ideas where creative worlds collide. Registration is available at sxsw.com/iHeart.
Simon Plus Rewards Ad
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(01:00:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Simon Plus offers shoppers cash back, exclusive offers, and surprises when purchasing gifts at Simon Malls, premium outlets, or shopsimon.com.
  • Summary: Simon Plus is a rewards program that rewards users just for shopping at Simon properties or online. Members can receive cash back, access exclusive offers, and receive exciting surprises during the holiday season. Enrollment is available today at simonplus.com.