Roger Casement's Diaries 1910: The Black & the White

by Roger Casement, Roger Sawyer (Editor)

Born in Ireland in 1864, Roger Casement acted as British Consul in Africa and Brazil, where he denounced atrocities among Congolese and Putumayo rubber workers. He was knighted in 1911 and retired from the consular service two years later. In 1914, he attempted to enlist support, in America and Germany, for the Irish nationalist cause. Convicted of high treason, he was executed in London at the age of 51. A compulsive diarist, his so-called "Black" diaries were finally released into the public domain in 1994. At the time of his trial, these diaries--detailing his promiscuous homosexual activities in Brazil--were used to discredit and condemn him. Now an accurate transcript of the "Black" Diary , published here for the first time--as is his more public "White" Diary --offers the reader the opportunity to judge its authenticity--still a matter of heated debate. Together, they take us deep into the mind of the bravest, most selfless humanitarian of the Edwardian age.

Genres: Ireland, Nonfiction, History

274 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Sir Roger Casement Kt. CMG between 1911 and shortly before his execution for treason, when he was stripped of his British honours[1]—was a humanitarian campaigner and an Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and nationalist.

He was a British consul by profession, famous for his reports and activities against human rights abuses in the Congo and Peru but better known for his dealings with Germany before Ireland's Easter Rising in 1916. An Irish nationalist and Parnellite in his youth, he worked in Africa for commercial interests and latterly in the service of Britain. However, the Boer War and his consular investigation into atrocities in the Congo led Casement to anti-Imperialist and ultimately to Irish Republican and separatist political opinions. He sought to obtain German support for a rebellion in Ireland against British rule. Shortly before the Easter Rising, he landed in Ireland and was arrested. He was subsequently convicted and executed by the British for treason.

Reviews

[Cainneach Rua · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't as sexual as it was made out to be (the black diary bit). The sex bits are sparse and undetailed. I thought it was going to be far more scandalous and racy (and entertaining). The white diary entries are long and a bit boring but they give glimpses into Roger's personality and humanity. For example one can see his anger and hatred towards certain corrupt men who abused the natives, or how much he loved playing bridge etc. Apart from anything else it informed me how cruelly the natives were treated and how much those poor people suffered at the hands of those who were greedy for profit

[Gareth Schweitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me there is only one diary: the Black one. The White one is interesting for fleshing out the detail of the atrocities in the Putumayo, but unfortunately doesn't flesh out the detail I am interested in.

Roger writes with great glee and enjoyment about his sexual exploits. The brevity of the descriptions makes them a joy to read, even poetic. And whilst I am not an avid supporter of male sexual prowess generally I am won over by this Irishman's international adventures.