Causeway Coast move to honour American Revolutionary and slave-owner Hercules Mulligan slammed by North West Migrants Forum

The committee approved a motion that the council apply to the Ulster History Circle for a blue plaque in honour of Hercules Mulligan who was born in Coleraine but emigrated with his family to north America in 1746. A spy during the American Revolutionary War Mulligan was a founding father of the New York Manumission Society, an early American organisation founded to promote the abolition of slavery.

However NWMF, citing evidence from the US Federal Census, have shown that Mulligan was still a slave-owner in 1790.

“We are disappointed and appalled by this decision to honour Hercules Mulligan who was a slave-owner even five years after he helped set up the New York Manumission. Calling Hercules Mulligan a hero after his record is glorifying slavery and that is disgraceful,” said NWMF Director of Programmes Lilian Seenoi-Barr. The forum has written to CC&GBC condemning the motion.

“We call on CC&GBC to rescind its decision to commemorate Hercules Mulligan, recognise the affront this represent to people of African descent and work with historians to reveal the true facts of history and the contemporary implications of slavery across these islands.

“We also call on the NI executive to take effective measures for people of African descent in the spirit of recognition, justice, and development,” the letter states.