The day provides a space where all Londoners can come together to collectively remember and honour the victims of this piece of British history.
The night of the 22 to 23 August 1791, saw men and women who were taken from Africa and sold into slavery in Santo Domingue, which is now recognised as Haiti and the Dominican Republic, rise up against the slave system and win their freedom. This played a critical role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and had a great influence on the establishment of universal human rights.
Councillor Aysha Raza said: “The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition gives our communities a chance to come together to remember and honour the millions of victims of the transatlantic slave trade. It’s important to educate ourselves around black history which is part of our multicultural history. The issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on ethnic minorities mean that it is now more important than ever to address race inequality, both locally and nationally. Fighting the serious inequalities that affect the poorest and most marginalised people in our borough is a key priority for us.”
Councillor Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council stated: “History shows us that we must all play a part in confronting racism and injustice if we want to build a better future. Ealing’s diversity is a huge source of strength for the borough, and through our Race Equality Commission we will ensure that this is a great place to live and work - no matter what your background is.”