“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
– Nelson Mandela-

The slave trade is one of the darkest and most tragic eras of human history. For over 400 years, people suffered from slavery. Not only economically, but also politically and socially colonised nations were exploited and oppressed. The majority of slaves were Africans and they were sold as goods in the trade market. Enslaved people did not receive any human rights. The ultimate goal of trade slaves was to enrich imperial powers.

From the 16 ^th through 19 ^th centuries, the trans-Atlantic slave trade shipped nearly 13 million Africans across the Atlantic Ocean. Due to the diseases and starvation about 2.4 million Africans died while being transported. Other than that, the enslaved people endured a lot of hardships like sexual abuse and being chained together. Some world-famous novels and films show the terrible side of slavery. The film 12 Years a Slave is a biographical movie directed by Steve McQueen. It depicts the horrible history of slavery.

Maya Angelou, a famous American poet, wrote ‘Still I Rise’. This poem exposes the oppression slaves had.

Still I Rise

“Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise
I rise
I rise”

– By Maya Angelou-

However, on the night of August 22-23, 1791, in Saint Domingue, currently known as the Republic of Haiti, an uprising began that played a pivotal role in ending the transatlantic slave trade. Enslaved Africans in Saint Domingue rose against their oppressors, which led to the establishment of the first independent black republic named Haiti in 1804. That is the turning point of the fight against slavery.

In recognition of this incident, the United Nations’ National Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed annually on August 23. This day was celebrated firstly in several countries, notably in Haiti on August 23, 1998, and on Goree Island in Senegal on August 23, 1999. The purpose of this International Day is the remembrance of all the victims of slavery and the tragedy of the slave trade in memories.

Anse Cafard Slave Memorial

Also, this Remembrance Day provides an opportunity to reflect on history and assert that everyone has equal human rights. Every year the United Nations invites people all over the world, like educators, students, musicians, and dancers, and organizes events to express their resistance against slavery.

Written by – Sandani Gunasekara

References:

https://www.unesco.org/en/days/slave-trade-remembrance
https://www.ohchr.org/en/video/2023/international-day-remembrance-victims-slavery-and-transatlantic-slave-trade
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/international/international-day-for-the 

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