Historical Organization
colonial government of Suriname
colonial government of Suriname
Details
Organization Timeline
Ndyuka representative defends attacks during peace talks
📅 6 January 1760At a negotiation recorded on 6 January 1760, an unnamed Ndyuka spokesperson defended Maroon attacks on plantations. The surviving colonial record gives the date but not the speaker’s name. The...
Paramaribo marks the Ndyuka peace agreement
📅 20 October 1760A colonial record dated 20 October 1760 describes celebrations in Paramaribo following the peace treaty with the Ndyuka. The celebration reflected the colonial government’s relief after years of...
New manumission regulation is issued in Paramaribo
đź“… 23 March 1832On 23 March 1832 colonial authorities adopted a regulation governing manumission, or an enslaver-authorized release from slavery. Freedom remained dependent on enslaver action and government approval,...
Manumission regulation takes effect
đź“… 1 April 1832The new manumission rules took effect on 1 April 1832. Freedom was processed through enslavers and the colonial state, not recognized as a right held by enslaved people. The rules formalized a pathway...
Alexander Hendrik Overwoud gains legal freedom
đź“… 12 November 1833A colonial record dated 12 November 1833 lists the manumission of Alexander, registered under the later name Alexander Hendrik Overwoud. It names his owner, Alex. Cornelis Schutte, and records a...
Charles Winst Morra is manumitted
đź“… 11 March 1844The register records the manumission of Winst, entered under the family name Morra, on 11 March 1844. The record notes that the resolution also rendered the name as Morro. This variation warns against...
Manus Besel receives a freedom certificate after illegal trafficking
đź“… 31 December 1846A certificate recorded on 31 December 1846 recognized Manus Besel as free. The archival entry says he came from the French brig La Legere and identifies the document as a manumission certificate for a...
Alida Philippina Chilouis is manumitted in old age
đź“… 19 July 1862The manumission index records Alida Philippina, formerly Alyda Philippina, as freed on 19 July 1862. Born in 1792, she was about seventy. The archive says W. Huisen requested her freedom and was...
Emancipation law is published in Suriname
📅 3 October 1862The law was announced in Paramaribo on 3 October 1862, with a governor’s proclamation addressed to enslaved people. A contemporary chronicle records people sharing and reading the announcement in...
Ten-year state supervision over emancipated people ends
📅 1 July 1873On 1 July 1873 the state-supervision period ended and formerly enslaved people gained full civil rights under colonial law. During the interval after formal emancipation, adults aged 15–60 were...
Colonial troops fire on workers at Mariënburg
📅 30 July 1902On 30 July 1902, after arrests following Mavor’s death, workers moved toward the plantation office. Colonial troops opened fire. Seventeen people died immediately and seven more later died of their...