1790s (Era): A Jamaican sailor known as John Anderson, or “Old Blue,” became a symbol of maritime resistance after escaping his enslaver while wearing a larg…

1790s (Era): A Jamaican sailor known as John Anderson, or “Old Blue,” became a symbol of maritime resistance after escaping his enslaver while wearing a large iron collar around his neck. Anderson successfully eluded recapture along the Caribbean waterfront for fourteen years, during which time his reputation grew as distinctive as his graying beard. His ability to navigate the “masterless” spaces of the waterfront exemplified the subversive networks that troubled the colonial ruling classes. Figures like Anderson served as vital conduits for the “common wind,” carrying news and strategic intelligence between islands.