Why we created an End of Enslavement Memorial
Europeans did not invent Racism
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Contrary to popular beliefs Europeans did not invent racism. Racism was a tool used to enslave Africans, it gave people a license to hate with impunity.
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The European enslavement of Africans was driven by greed. It is important to note Europeans did not invent greed either.
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We are all suffering in different ways as a result of the 500 years of oppression. The descendants of enslaved Africans have been continually dehumanised. Europeans have resisted reconciling with their historical malevolence.
The mainstream narratives serve to compound our woes by distorting the reality of the African Holocaust. One blinkered narrative which needs to be rewritten is the official British version of the Emancipation of Slaves which we are taught.
Africans could have been enslaved today
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Africans could have been enslaved today if the Haitian Revolution never happened. Or at least, slavery would have gone on much longer.
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The Haitian Revolution was a successful uprising of enslaved Africans. Led by Toussaint L’Ouverture in 1791. In 1804, Haiti became the first independent Black state. This caused ripples in the Caribbean. Other islands with Enslaved Africans had uprisings. Crops were burned and the profits from slavery decreased. This made Britain rethink the viability of Enslaving Africans this way. The Industrial Revolution, which was financed from Slavery profits also made Britain rethink the viability of enslaving Africans.
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Britain positioned itself as the great emancipator. We were taught that Britain once did bad things it is not proud of (slavery) but then started to do good things to make amendments (emancipation). They abolished the slave trade (the transportation of Africans over the Atlantic) in 1807. But they continued to enslave Africans for another 27 years. They abolished slavery in 1834, then Africans had to complete a 4-year unpaid apprenticeship. And to top it off it was only the former Enslavers who were compensated. It is difficult to find much love or compassion for Africans in this story. Especially after finding out their champion William Wilberforce, for some time, wanted slavery to continue after the abolition of the slave trade. This narrative does not sit well with people who have studied this history, despite acknowledging some British People generally found slavery abhorrent and tried to stop it.
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We are all products of conditioning and circumstances. When we accept this, it is almost impossible to chastise someone who has racist feelings. There are Slavery Institutions still alive today which has not apologised and atoned for the African Holocaust. Government, Corporations, Royalty, and Churches. It is understandable how racism can be taken on board and perpetuated.
Slavery is an open wound which needs healing
We can heal together without pointing the finger at each other. The enslavers are long dead. Descendants of Africans must work on their inherited traumas, pain, suffering, dysfunctional behaviours, and negative feelings. Europeans must recognise and work on their inherited trauma, of subjugating, dehumanising, genocides, and selective remembering. Unchecked, all these traumas serve warp our moral values and breeds hatred.
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It is very uncomfortable to look at the malevolence of our ancestors. Many people feel if we despise our ancestors we despise a part of ourselves in some way. This is not true if we appreciate, we are all products of our conditioning and circumstances. Traumas are inherited. We need to move forward together, with Love. We must co-exist peacefully with each other. Change is not expected overnight, but we can take positive steps now. Collectively realigning our moral values.
Build a Memorial
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We invite everyone to contribute to building memorials to honour the known and unknown Ancestors who made Slavery end, Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitians, the Enslaved African freedom fighters, Continental Africans, and European Abolitionists.
Together we honour the concerted efforts to stop the African Holocaust. The memorials will be temporary structures made with recyclable materials. It will be a temporary structure. It may only be up for one hour or one day. They will be different locations around Britain and the world. We invite you to create something for a memorial. A figurine, a poem, art, a dance, a song, or some words to add to the memorial. (Read our Memorial Guide)
Creating a memorial is a statement to ourselves, to re-educate, to be creatively active, to examine our conditioning and in doing so, evolve more compassionately. We can achieve something beautiful together, leading by example to raise the next generation with love and respect for all. It only takes a bit more love to shape our future together to live more harmoniously.
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(read about the memorials)
Every moment we share is an opportunity to evolve, with love.​​
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"Love is the answer, the questions are not relevant"