27 December

1794: The São José was a Portuguese slave ship which sank off what is today known as Clifton 2nd beach in Cape Town in the Western Cape. At the time of wrecking, it was carrying 512 enslaved people from Mozambique who were destined for Brazil, during a time when the slave trade between the two countries was just emerging. The ship’s voyage, although unsuccessful in its mission to bring enslaved people to Brazil, was an important precedent for the sourcing of enslaved people from East Africa, … [Read more...] about 27 December Shipwreck List