UN DPI/NGO Relations presented the Briefing “The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Honouring the Heroes, Resisters and Survivors” followed by a tribute to Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information on Friday, 23 March 2012 at the United Nations, ECOSOC Chamber (NLB). For PROGRAM - March 23 - 30, 2012
"We have more African-American men and women
caught up in the prison system than were there slaves..."
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BACKGROUND: "But in those who opposed slavery then and now, we also celebrate people at their best: the brave slaves who rose up despite mortal risk; the abolitionists who challenged the status quo; the activists today who fight intolerance and injustice. Whether renowned or unsung, these heroes show that the pursuit of human dignity is the most powerful force of all." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 2011 The Transatlantic Slave Trade was the largest forced migration of a human population in recorded history. From the 16th to the 19th century, millions of Africans were taken from their homes and transported in bondage to colonies in North and South America and the West Indies. Reduced to commodities, the Africans were stripped of their names and identities, as well as all freedoms and human rights.
While often overlooked, African resistance to the slave trade started as soon as the Transatlantic Slave Trade began. Revolts on slave ships, although extremely difficult to organize and conduct, were numerous. It is estimated that 100,000 Africans died in uprisings on the coast of Africa or during the notorious Middle Passage across the Atlantic. Resistance to the slave trade continued in the Americas. Africans used a number of strategies, both violent and non-violent, in their struggle against enslavement including running away, establishing maroon communities, using sabotage, and rising up against those who held them in captivity. Some of those who were freed led information campaigns and worked actively to abolish the slave trade and slavery. The countless uprisings by Africans in the Americas instilled terror in the colonists, which resulted in their brutal suppression through hanging, beheadings, burning at the stake and other methods of torture. Despite these enormous risks, enslaved and sometimes free people continued to fight for liberation. Their actions had a significant impact on the slave regimes as well as on colonial politics. This briefing honoured the memory of the millions who spent their lives as slaves, many of whom died without a trace. It examined the struggles of the brave individuals who, over a period of four centuries and in four continents risked their lives to resist the brutality and dehumanization of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It also looked at the legacy which this triangular trade has left behind and the effects even today on the survivors of the trade and their descendants. |
Source: UN DPI/NGO Briefings presented by Department of Public Information of the United Nations
Highlights by:
Cem ZORLULAR, Youth Representative of
The Light Millennium to the UN - DPI/NGO.
Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Kiyo Akasaka opened today’s briefing entitled Transatlantic Slave trade: Honoring the Heroes, Resisters and Survivors. Mr. Akasaka first welcomed all participants to the inaugural event of commemorative week on The Transatlantic Slave Trade celebrated annually at the United Nations and around the globe.
Before yielding the floor to the panelists, he made a brief remark on the significance of the week. Under-Secretary Mr. Akasaka opened his remarks by stating that this week is crucial to educate the world about the pain and suffering that caused by transatlantic slave trade. Mr. Akasaka continued his remarks stating that millions of people were forcefully stripped of their names, identities and homelands and forced to serve as slaves in Americas.
Moreover this slave trade generated enormous profit for American colonies. He noted that although we can never know the full extent of the suffering, effects of the trade are still being felt today. Furthermore, he claimed that this week also celebrates the heroes who fought against the transatlantic trade.
Then, Under-Secretary-General started talking about Harriet Tubman: one of the prominent figures of the Underground Railroad. Mr. Akasaka noted that Harriet Tubman was born as a slave in Maryland. Then, she escaped to freedom in Philadelphia. She then returned to Alabama in order to save her family and many others from slavery. Mr. Akasaka emphasized Ms. Tubman’s efforts by also mentioning that before her death, she was one the prominent faces of the women’s suffrage. The second figure Mr. Akasaka mentioned was Zumbi dos Palmares, who was born in Brazil. Mr. Zumbi dos Palmares fought against slavery and transatlantic slave trade in Brazil. Mr. Akasaka concluded his remarks by mentioning the importance of the week in the UN system by reminding the audience that along with the activities held, a commemorative monument has been commissioned to be built in UN headquarters.
The first speaker, Ms. Slyviane Diouf, an award-winning historian specializing in Transatlantic Slave Trade unfortunately could not attend the briefing due to a medical emergency. Instead, Ms. Gail Bindley-Taylor, Information Officer at DPI read her remarks. Ms. Diouf’s remarks started with the mention of millions of men and women were displaced as a part of the Transatlantic Slave trade. Along with many suffered through slavery, many died on the way to Americas. Ms. Diouf then focused on the initial uprisings against the slave trade. She stated that shackles and guns attest to the resistance of the Africans from the beginning for the trade. Furthermore, societies in Africa took many precautions to prevent their people from being kidnapped by slave traders through arming, relocations and fortification. Some groups killed anyone who approached their communities as a last resort protection against this trade. She then mentioned that the first revolt was in 1522 by Senegalese against Spanish rulers. Although it was crushed it had a huge impact on the slavery and the Spanish rule. She concluded her remarks by talking about slaves in Haiti have fought and defeated Spain and France to become a free and independent country.
The next speaker was Ms. Sasha Turner, assistant professor of history at Quinnipiac University. Ms. Turner opened her remarks by announcing that she would like to make connections between slavery and Women’s rights in her speech. In that sense, she focused on the slavery in Jamaica. She claimed that British in Jamaica used reproduction as a means of increasing the number of slaves available for labor. This, according to Ms. Turner, meant that the British were interfering with the reproductive rights of the women. She has stated that initially, the conditions of women were improved: the food rations were increased, labor requirements were loosened and good hospital care was supplied to the women who were pregnant. Yet, according to Ms. Turner this was only due to the fact that British wanted more and more slaves. Mr. Turner then moved on to describe the plight of the mothers who were separated from their children. Mothers during slavery were denied rights of motherhood: children were usually denying the women to breastfeed and nurse their children. Mr. Turner claimed that as a response, people in captivity tried to resist through abortion, contraception and infanticide. Furthermore, women ran away with their infants to prevent their infants taken away from them. Colonial newspapers were filled with reports of mothers who ran away to nurse and breastfeed the children as they want and should. Ms. Turner said that women who didn’t run away appealed to the courts yet their claims were denied. Ms. Turner concluded her remarks by claiming that we must honor women who fought to protect their children.
The next speaker was Ms. Rita Pemberton, Deputy Dean of Student Affairs in the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of West Indies. She opened her remarks by stating that diaspora population used a plethora of strategies to resist to the slave trade. Therefore, according to Ms. Pemberton, we should redefine the concept of heroic in order to pay homage to the unsung heroes who were very important in the fight against slave trade. Then she started to list some of the heroes who have been fundamental in this fight. She first talked about first resistors who did not survive, but their starting of the fight sustained the movement. Then Ms. Pemberton mentioned the members of the secret societies who empowered their communities to assist their brethren to rise against the slave trade. She then talked about enslaved people who managed to empower themselves through their daily social and economical activities. This, according to Ms. Pemberton was heroic. Finally, she mentioned the men and women who purveyed the African culture and passed the art, music, and literature to the next generation. Ms. Pemberton concluded her remarks by reminding the audience that all these people should be paid homage to, as they have empowered those who fought and the strengthened the next generations.
Final speaker was Mr. Herb Boyd, journalist and activist based in New York City. In his speech Mr. Boyd talked about two prominent African American literary personalities: Ouladah Equiano and Phillis Wheatley. In the first part of his speech Mr. Boyd noted literary achievement of Mr. Equiano. He then talked about Mr. Equiano’s part in the abolishment of slavery. According to Mr. Boyd, Equiano argued that the abolishment would be beneficial for both Africans and Colonizers through cooperation. Thus, according to Mr. Boyd, Equiano consistently called for the abolishment of the slave trade through his life. On the other hand, Phillis Wheatley was the first African-American woman to publish her writing. Mr. Boyd said that in her books she talked about the yearning for her homeland from which she was taken away from at the age of 8. Despite the quality of her writing, she was not published in the USA so she needed to go abroad. Yet, Mr. Boyd noted that she never called for the abolishment of slavery early on. Mr. Boyd ended his remarks by saying that both were captured during their youth and would be appalled to see the slave trade still goes on at this time and age.
Q: What do you think about the situation of housekeepers in the Middle East who are coming from Africa?
Q: 150 years after the slave trade was abolished, Africans still suffer from the after effects. The criminal justice has disproportional affect on the African Americans? What about the vigilante who killed a 17 year old Trayvon Martin boy?
Q: Mr. Boyd, could you tell us something about the anti-trafficking bill in the congress?
HB: I am not sure where they are now. It was reauthorized three times during the Bush administration, but not so much during the time of Obama.
Q: Today, NY Times states that racial profiling has been increasing in US, what is your response?
HB: It is not an isolated incident. We need to keep our voices high and we must keep vigilant. Racism is not only confided to NY, it happens in Detroit. We need a protective agency. We also need to prevent black on black violence. Some NYPD officers have facilitated a high move of arms into our community. Such violence against the African community is of genocidal proportions.
Q: Were there any countries Europe who are involved in commemoration of the slave trade?
ST: In 2007, there were some commemoratory events held in UK. It was organized, as a part of a joint effort between schools, government and NGOs But the awareness in Europe is relatively low.
HB: Several years ago we had a conference against racism. Certain participants have been very vigilant about the continuation of the continuation of slave trade in modern times. Children are important part of the issue to as they are kidnapped early on to act as soldiers.
Q: I don’t think the racial profiling is increasing rather more and more people are becoming aware of it. And with the occupy movement a bigger proportion of the population is feeling the affects of it.
KA: Over the years, the Gallup poll calculating the acceptance rate of interracial marriages shows that the racism is decreasing.
Q: What about the indigenous languages within the enslaved communities?
RP: African languages were used as a means of resistance process as people could communicate each other in a way that enslavers could not understand. If you investigate the Caribbean languages, you will see some aspects originated from Africa.
Q: How can be apply the lessons of the past to today?
RP: Most of the experience has been lost and not shared. In most of the places in the world, history is not given so much importance. Our administrations don’t feel anymore that history should be included in our programs. We need to wholly rethink the ideas of development.
ST: In many ways educating youth is an important factor of getting there. There is a public amnesia about slavery. And it is not wholly understood. Racism is taking new forms in modern times. Addicted women are forced to do contraception in exchange for aid that in effect is slavery. We need to remain vigilant as individuals.
Q: Youth are being educated, going to school but they are getting treated harshly? What can we do? What can we tell them?
HB: Intergenerational dialogue is very important. Yesterday I took a group of at risk youth to a tour of Harlem. They are at risk but they want to get back to track. We toured the Apollo Theatre and it really affected the young people. By taking some time to reach out you can make a change. The young people must do the same. So both generations should reach out to each other. We have more African-American men and women caught up in the prison system than were there slaves.
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