Legacy of slave trade still persists

Unite Equalities is gearing up to mark International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition on Friday, August 23 with a special webinar.

The webinar, which is open to everyone and will take place from 12.30-2pm, will be chaired by chair of Unite’s National BAEM Committee Susan Matthews alongside teacher and educational specialist Paul Obinna.

Unite will celebrate International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition by paying tribute to all who worked tirelessly to abolish the trafficking of enslaved African labour.

The union honours in particularly enslaved African men and women themselves, former African slaves such as Olaudah Equiano and Ignatius Sancho, white working-class groups, parliamentarians such as William Wilberforce and many others, including Mary Prince who was the first black woman to publish an autobiography of her experience as a slave.

Unite Equalities has published a leaflet outlining the origins of the transatlantic slave trade, its subsequent abolition, and how the slave trade’s legacy continues to this day through “apartheid, racism, fascism, poverty, economic and social deprivation, unfair trade agreements and huge debts owed by some African and Asian countries to rich nations”.

“The ongoing disgraceful treatment of the Windrush generation is a prime example of this legacy,” the leaflet reads.

Because of the ongoing legacy of the slave trade, Unite believes the Day of Remembrance must above all be a day of action, when people everywhere redouble their efforts in ending and challenging racism – whether that’s racist legislation or racist movements such as the far-right riots we’ve seen in recent weeks.

Unite Equalities’ leaflet noted, “We recoil at the racist bile shouted by far-right parties and individuals, the continual discrimination faced by black and Asian workers and worst still, the shocking normalisation of racist language and attacks.

“As a movement, we have taken urgent action and mobilised against this rise of fascism and racist hatred to defend our communities and the rights and dignity of black people. Unite’s Unity over Division campaign is one of the avenues to collectively challenge racism and fascism.

“We must all unite, black and white, in solidarity for the rights of all workers as racism hurts everyone.”

Commenting, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “On International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, Unite pays tribute to those who worked tirelessly to end the abhorrent transatlantic slave trade, especially those people who were themselves enslaved.

“The most important lesson we can learn from their successful fight to abolish the slave trade is to recognise the power of the collective to make real change.

“The legacy of slavery still persists in racism today and the way to defeat it remains the same – coming together and fighting for social justice in our communities and in our workplaces.”

You can find out more about Unite Equalities demands in its leaflet here, and you can sign up for the webinar here.

You can also read Unite general secretary Sharon Graham’s statement on far-right riots here, as well as a statement from Unite’s National BAEM Committee chair Susan Matthews here.

Stay tuned on UniteLive for coverage of the webinar.

By Hajera Blagg