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2007: Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act
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2007: Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act
25 March 2007 will mark 200 years - to the day - that a Parliamentary Bill was passed to abolish the slave trade in the then British Empire. This Act outlawed the slave trade throughout the former British Empire and made it illegal for British ships to be involved in the trade. This Act marked the beginning of the end for the transatlantic traffic in human beings. Even then, slaves did not gain their final freedom until 1838.
The 2007 Bicentenary is an important opportunity to reflect on the struggles of the past; to pay tribute to the courage and moral conviction of all those - black and white - who campaigned for abolition; and to demand to know why today, in some parts of the world, forms of slavery still persist.
The Government wants to ensure we gain the best possible legacy from the bicentenary by:
- commemorating those who suffered as a result of the slave trade
- recognising the efforts of those who struggled for abolition, including enslaved Africans, states people and ordinary citizens, and those responsible for implementing the new laws
- focusing on tackling contemporary or legacy issues that arise out of the slave trade, including:
- Poverty and inequality on the African continent
- Tackling inequality, discrimination and racism today, in particular for the African and Caribbean diaspora
- Tackling contemporary slavery in all its forms.
Further information including details of events taking place all around the country to mark the bicentenary can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/slavery [External link]
