Navigating oppression and opportunity: Black seamen in the Royal Navy during the eighteenth century

Abstract

During the latter half of the eighteenth century, the British Royal Navy struggled to recruit sailors, particularly during conflicts such as the Seven Years’ War and the American War of Independence. While the Navy primarily relied on voluntary enlistment, its insufficiency led to the widespread use of impressment–a coercive practice of forcibly enlisting sailors. This article examines the impact of impressment on recruitment, analysing the aggressive tactics press gangs employed on land and at sea to secure experienced mariners. It also explores the recruitment of diverse groups, particularly Black sailors, within the Royal Navy, highlighting regional disparities in treatment and opportunities. Drawing on the works of scholars such as Charles R. Foy and W. Jeffrey Bolster, this study offers a nuanced perspective on recruitment practices and the experiences of marginalized groups. By integrating historical analysis and scholarly insights, it underscores the agency and resilience of Black maritime workers within the complex sociopolitical landscape of the Atlantic World during the Age of Sail.