The Merkins -206 years

August 20th marked 206 years since the largest group of Merikins arrived in Trinidad on August 20th 1816.
From 1815 to the 1820s, Trinidad became home to over seven hundred formerly enslaved Black people from the American South who had served in the British Colonial Marines during the War of 1812 in the US.
In exchange for their service, they were freed from slavery in the US and given land on which to settle in Trinidad. Known as the Merikins—an abbreviated version of the word, “Americans”—they settled mainly in six Company Villages in isolated forested areas in South Trinidad during a time when slavery was still being practiced.
The cultural heritage of the Merikins is kept alive today by descendents of the Merikins both in and out of the Company Villages. Organizations like the Merikin Commission, Merikin Inc. and the Merikin Heritage Foundation, which were formed by members from the community, work to educate the public on the rich history of these freedom fighters.
Our exhibition, “Celebrating the Merikins” provides some history on the Merikins and their cultural heritage. Follow this link to view or download the exhibition: https://natt.gov.tt/.../pdfs/Celebrating-the-Merikins.pdf
At the National Archives, we have a Merikin Collection, which includes colonial correspondence and records pertaining to the arrival of the Merikins in Trinidad.



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