T.There are so many dates here in the history of British involvement in colonial slavery that it is difficult to choose one for collective remembrance. Memorial Day focuses on the black men and women who rebelled in Haiti in 1791. Emancipation Day, August 1, marks the entry into force of his 1834 law abolishing slavery. Despite all these dates, there is little recognition of Britain’s historical role in the slave trade from our governments and political leaders.
When discussing slavery they focus on the British Empire And it’s easy to polarize. David Cameron proclaimed “pride” in the empire, but made little mention of slavery and colonialism (during a 2015 visit to Jamaica, the then prime minister called for the country to “move forward” from this history). On the other hand, current Conservatives show nostalgia for the glorious days of the British Empire, when imperial subjects did not “disturb” Britain’s social and cultural landscape.
Discussions of slavery often surface several conflicting perspectives. Some focus on abolition, wiping out the difficult history and legacy of conquest at the heart of slavery. Paradoxically, some keep telling us we need to focus on a multicultural existence in a sort of post-racial Britain where color doesn’t matter. They tend to deny the enduring realities of perpetrated racism and discrimination against minorities. It has caused controversy, such as the Sewell report, which presented a “new narrative about the Caribbean experience” that recommended schoolchildren should be taught about the positive aspects of the system.
The history of slavery involved conquest, power, trade and violence. It’s complex and has created intergenerational trauma on all fronts. So it’s understandable that the UK is reluctant to hold a high-profile annual commemoration. In France, a national day commemorating the abolition of slavery is celebrated on his 10th May (the televised ceremony is always attended by the President and the President of the Senate). Britain has no national ceremony for the thousands of lives lost to slavery. UNESCO’s International Day to Commemorate the Slave Trade and its Abolition offers Britain an opportunity to share responsibility for slavery with other European empires and to exonerate itself by framing slavery as a common historical practice .
Avoiding the debate on slavery this year falls into the hands of culture warriors desperate for a US-style confrontation, framed as an attempt to destabilize the country given Britain’s colonial past. For example, Kemi Badenok’s distraction and ill-informed grandstand for critical race theory, or Cressida Dick’s institutional racism and police brutality as just some bad apples. Consider the repeated attempts to portray or frame Black Lives Matter as an adversarial movement. to white people.
This culture war has become a distraction mechanism that prevents us from discussing the painful legacies of Britain’s colonial past or examining how this history has entrenched our current social inequalities. Instead of an intelligent, thoughtful conversation about history, it’s all but grounded.
The conversation should not be about deciding whether the British Empire is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. The purpose of slavery was to build Britain’s wealth by any means necessary, through conquest, division and coercion. There were forms of co-operation that benefited some, and there were hierarchies and hierarchies among slaves that enabled the slaveholders to ultimately retain control. was even more complicated. But the history of these layers cannot be taught without even recognizing how important that history was and still is.
This culture war is a symptom of a selective history of slavery that has defined how we view the issue in Britain. We often hear paternalist accounts of Britain’s role in the slave trade. . It focuses on the nation’s contribution to ending slavery and the navy’s role in emancipating slaves after 1807. As a result, little is known about other parts of that history, such as how abolitionist arguments helped justify empire expansion in the 19th-century scramble to colonize parts of Africa. I don’t hear it.
The solution to this collective amnesia is an honest discussion of the past and its impact on 21st century Britain. A national dialogue that does not result in a point-winning shouting match could be the beginning of a powerful momentum for restorative justice. The Bank of England, which hosted an exhibition about its relationship with the city, and the Church of England, which launched an investigation into its relationship with slavery, have already launched investigations. this conversation. Initiatives like this could open the door to a deeper understanding of our common history.
Why should the state publicly commemorate slavery when there are already local initiatives like Black History Cymru 365 to commemorate and celebrate black history all year round? The duty of Britain has made unprecedented wealth through her 300 years of exploiting people of African descent as labor and commodities, and colonizing parts of Asia. Congress played a central role in its history, even paying compensation to slave owners. What the government can do instead is remember those who were enslaved, help educate this history through curriculum changes, and participate in the debate about restorative justice.
The second answer is related to the concept of collective memory. As scholars of memory research have demonstrated, collective commemoration can be a way to heal from past trauma and bring society together. Indeed, at the Liverpool museum, playwright Bonnie Greer and Laurela Linson, executive director of the Memorial ACTe (MACTe), a monument and museum dedicated to the memory of the transatlantic slave trade in Guadeloupe, will be presented to the public. Meet for conversations and keynotes. In Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum hosts a series of talks and performances. A variety of activities related to the history of slavery are held on this day and during Black History Month. Now we must not let this issue slip into oblivion until the end of the year.
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Olivette Otele is Distinguished Professor of Legacy and Memory of Slavery at Soath University London.
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