Liverpool Museum Calls for Acknowledgment of Slave Trade History

Liverpool is set to mark its 25th Slavery Remembrance Day, with organizers urging the city to confront its historical ties to the transatlantic slave trade. Michelle Charters, head of the International Slavery Museum (ISM), emphasized the importance of acknowledging the city’s past and its ongoing impact. “We cannot hide from that and we cannot shy away from it,” she stated, highlighting the need for continued dialogue about the repercussions of slavery. The city first held commemorative events in 1999, coinciding with a formal apology from the council for its role in the slave trade. Historical records indicate that ships from Liverpool transported approximately 1.5 million Africans under brutal conditions between 1700 and 1807. This year’s events, organized by the ISM in partnership with National Museums Liverpool (NML), will include workshops, lectures, and a ceremonial walk culminating in a libation ceremony at Canning Dock, a site historically linked to the slave trade. Charters expressed her belief that the remembrance efforts should extend across the UK, noting the commitment of individuals who have participated since the inception of the observance. The ISM is recognized as the world’s first museum dedicated to slavery, and Charters continues to be astonished by the revelations surrounding the transatlantic slave trade. She remarked, “There is no full stop to transatlantic slavery,” underscoring the ongoing struggle to reclaim lost heritage and culture.