Episode 15: The Heavens Fall

Episode 15: The Heavens Fall

From Worlds Turned Upside Down by Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

May 31, 2025 · 1h 20m · Season 2 · Episode 15

About this episode

The episode discusses the court case of James Somerset, which challenged the foundations of slavery in the British Empire.

The detainment of a West African-born enslaved Virginian named James Somerset in London leads to a court case decided by England's most powerful judge that challenges the foundations of slavery in the British Empire. Featuring: Christopher Brown, Trevor Burnard, Julie Flavell, and Chernoh Sesay, Jr. Voice Actors: Amber Pelham, Anne Fertig, Gillian MacDonald, Norman Roger, Craig Gallagher, and Adam McNeil. Narrated by Dr. Jim Ambuske. Music by Artlist.io This episode was made possible with support from a 2024 grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities. Help other listeners find the show by leaving a 5-Star Rating and Review on Apple , Spotify , Podchaser , or our website . Follow the series on Facebook or Instagram . Worlds Turned Upside Down is a production of R2 Studios at the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Jim Ambuske

Guests: Christopher Brown, Trevor Burnard, Julie Flavell, Chernoh Sesay, Jr.

Topics covered

  • slavery
  • court case
  • British Empire
  • enslavement
  • historical justice

Keywords

  • James Somerset
  • court case
  • slavery
  • British Empire
  • enslaved Virginian

Sponsors

National Endowment of the Humanities

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: R2 Studios, Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, George Mason University

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