In a few days time, it will be 200 years ago that an Act of Parliament was passed in England, banning the trade in slaves. Slavery as such would be outlawed in 1833 - in England and its colonies. Slavery is one of the world's greatest and gravest crimes against humanity, and its repercussions continue to ring around the world today.
Over several hundred years, people from West Africa would be transported to European colonies in the Caribbean to work plantations. Africans were supplied to slave traders as a result of internecine warfare, and captives would be handed on. Slavers would pay the Africans with beads, which have been recovered from wrecked slaveships. People were kept in horrendous conditions, shackled together, even if one died. Slaveships carried a terrible stench.
It should be born in mind that slaves were not regarded as human beings. They were commodities, much like the sugar that their labours produced. Slavery brought riches to many European nations, England included. Attempts to get it outlawed met stiff resistance from leading merchant men of the day. It is credited to William Wilberforce to have introduced and managed to get passed an Act of Parliament, outlawing the trade in slaves. It took another 26 years for slavery as such to be abolished.
The repercussions of slavery echo loudly to this day. There is a large population in the West Indies of ethnic African origin; the same applies to the USA. 18th century attitudes saw a black man as supplicant to the benevolent white man who knew better. This has continued well into the 20th century in parts of the USA, and even worse so in South Africa until the abolition of apartheid [separateness] in the 1990s.
William Wilberforce made the first move to abolish slavery, although he only managed to outlaw the trade. In the 21st century, slavery is seen as a crime. It still continues however. People are still being trafficked across continents for sexual exploitation. Children are still being made to work for next to nothing.
Watching a programme on this issue tonight, the message is clear. It's not about apportioning blame, which is an empty gesture. It is about confronting the past, learn lessons from mistakes made, and build a future together. Irrespective of colour, creed or conviction. We ignore this injunction at our peril, as World War II has shown.
It seems unbelievale that slavery still exists in its many guises. We must be thankful that we are are spared a lifetime of misery that some people are forced to suffer
ReplyDeleteSandra xx
I know slavery still exists today. My partner Andy has ancestors who were slaves, his father is black and hails from South Carolina. Jeannette xx http://journals.aol.co.uk/jlocorriere05/Welcometomytravels/
ReplyDeleteI am saddened to think that my own counry took until the 1860's to finally outlaw slavery in the South. We still aren't where we should be and we continue to find ways to devalue human life....
ReplyDeleteGod have mercy.
Kellen
So sad to think that in this day and age that so much of it still exists.
ReplyDeletebella xx
Very nicely written.
ReplyDeleteLori
http://journals.aol.com/helmswondermom/DustyPages
a movie is out now I think about this Wilburforce that is playing at a theater down the street. The reviews are good, but I always thought that the English led America in showing them how to simply abolish slave trade. Some feel the megant workers were exploited for years for very little wages and poor working conditions, similar to what the blacks endured even after slavery was abolished, so it is true that people continue to take advantage of others, enslaving them in a sense in lives of extreme poverty. Children included. It's always a job to stomp out those practices wherever they exist. I think America has finally become a good example of blacks working with whites, even though many feel there is still a lot of discimination. Hispanics have to work hard to get representation in the white world! Gerry http://journals.aol.com/gehi6/daughters-of-the-shadow-men/
ReplyDeleteI like how you took the horrors of the past and reminded us that slavery still continues. I've been aboard the reproduction of the slave ship Amistad it is shocking how SMALL those ships actually were. Yes, I hope we can all "build a future together."--Cin
ReplyDeleteWe really are all created equal; each one of value to God, each one with a soul. When one loses sight of that fact, it begins to be easy to think less of a different culture, color, sex, age, etc. - Barbara
ReplyDelete