Cudjoe

Cudjoe was a prominent leader and maroon (runaway slave) in 18th-century Jamaica. Originally a slave who escaped, he became a key figure in resistance movements, leading freed or escaped slaves in armed resistance against British colonial authorities. Cudjoe is especially known for inspiring the 1739-1740 Maroon War and for establishing the Windward Maroons, autonomous communities that fought to maintain their independence. His leadership helped secure a degree of freedom and recognition for Maroon communities, making him an important figure in the history of resistance against slavery and colonial oppression in the Caribbean.