This day is about remembering the past and taking action today
The transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, which operated between the fifteenth and late nineteenth centuries, involved the horrific trafficking of millions of women, men and children, mostly from West Africa to the Americas. This forced displacement enriched imperial and other powers. It also gave rise to false narratives of white supremacy and racial inferiority, which were used to justify this shameful practice and which continue to plague our societies today. Because the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans had a direct effect on our modern conceptions of race, an understanding of this period is necessary to fight its legacies, including racism and prejudice. The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is, therefore, not just about remembering the past. It is about taking action today to dismantle the structures that continue to hold back people of African descent.
This day is about education
The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a time for reflection. But it is also a time for education. Despite myths to the contrary, enslaved Africans enriched the Americas not just through their labour but also through a transfer of vital skills and knowledge. In addition, rather than accepting their fate, they engaged in powerful acts of resistance. The United Nations works to highlight such stories through its Outreach Programme on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery, which is managed by the Department of Global Communications, and the Routes of Enslaved Peoples Project, which is run by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Please click here to Read More…
