LUTON SANKOFA UK
We are a non-profit, African-Caribbean group in Luton, formed in 2016 to organise the annual commemoration of those who endured the Transatlantic African Enslavement which coincides with the United Nations (UN) date of 25th March, to 'Remember Slavery' and 'Honour our Ancestors'.
In 2017 the focus was on many of the rarely recalled heroes that brought about the abolition of slavery. The committee felt it imortant to bring to the fore some of the prominent resisters and freedom fighters that majorly contributed to the demise of the barbaric practice of the transatlantic African enslavement.
We acknowledged the following ancestors:
Children of the diaspora from within the community read a passage and lit a candle to commemorate each of the heroes.
A very thought provoking and eye-opening presentation was given by Diana Marquis-Solomon, Vice Chair of Luton Sankofa Committee, on the Lasting Impact of the Transatlantic African Enslavement on the Caribbean and African Contnent. This was very well received by the audience who were very appreciative of the information shared and the new things they had come to learn about African and Caribbean history.
Among the highlights of the event were the SDA Cantaré Choir who sang soul stirring negro spirituals and a dance performance from the Osagyefo Theatre Dancers accompanied by the Theatre Drummers.
The transatlantic African enslavement is responsible for the majority of the social and economic disadvantages experienced by African and Caribbean peoples in the diaspora and is a history that the world largely wants us to forget.
By uncovering the truths about it, we are aiming to help break some of the psychological chains associated with racism that still bind us today.
Impacts of Slavery:
• Racism is a major lasting impact of slavery that continues today.
Prior to the Transatlantic African Enslavement, Slaves could be Black or White, Christian, Muslim or pagan. The link between slavery and 'race' only came about when Europeans reduced it to chattel slavery. This was solely for the purpose of economic gain.
There is also evidence that our history has been systematically re-written in order to downplay and even eliminate our significant place in the origins of civilisation, and that this was done purposefully to elevate one race above all others. The education that has been spread around the world has been based on this deceit!
James Henry Breasted wrote ‘Ancient Times’ in 1914 which clearly explains that Africa is the cradle of civilisation. However, John D. Rockerfeller in 1935 donated US$1.5 million dollars for Breasted to establish the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago with conditions that when he wrote the second edition of Ancient times, that he was to remove all references to the ancient Egyptians as being dark skinned people. Breasted did this, and he also added a new chapter where he said that they were members of the ‘great white race’, describing the area they came from as the north-west quadrant of the world where they rose and developed everything that became a significant part of civilisation. And there were many more falsified truths of our history that was systematic and deliberate to hide our greatness.
The cancer of racism in our society is an issue that was addressed in 1963 by His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I, when he addressed the United Nations:
“that until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned; that until there are no longer first class and second class citizens of any nation; that until the colour of a man's skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes; that until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race;
that until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained. “... Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil..."
- His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I
[Read by Finot Teshome (Age 13) Ancestry: Ethiopia]
Unfortunately, the world has not moved very far in terms of dealing with this issue effectively enough. Today, people of the diaspora still suffer from a legacy of its negative effects.
• Depopulation
Before the arrival of the Europeans on the Continent we had… Emperors and Empires; Kings and Kingdoms with wealth, stability and social order, for example Kingdoms of Kush, Kongo, Asante Empires, Bornu Empire, Axumite Empire and Kingdom of Mutapa and others. The slave trade had long lasting negative effects on the islands of the Caribbean. To start with the native peoples, the Caribs, the Arawaks, were wiped out or escaped to the hills, and became replaced with West Africans.
•The Maafa - Swahili term for great destruction or holocaust
Used to describe the period between 1441 and 1865 almost 500 years of suffering of people of African Heritage as a result of the transatlantic African enslavement, and this period signifies the stain on our great history.
During this period the slave traders accomplished over 55,000 sea voyages from Africa to the Americas for over 400 years, and it wasn’t only human beings that were stolen… Some estimate that without slavery the population of Africa would have been double the 25million it had diminished to by 1850.
They took more than human cargo… They also took gold, diamonds, uranium, titanium, cobalt, oil, copper, iron, lead, silver, natural gas, gum, rice, plutonium, zinc, tobacco, bauxite, fruit, land, timber, cotton, ivory, rubber, phosphates, sugar, artefacts, manganese, radium, animals, culture, coffee, cocoa, tea, medical herbs, spices, potassium, platinum, agriculture and technology and much more…
The impact on the Caribbean was more psychological, as after they were ‘freed’, they owned nothing and, and in particular, had no economic power or land, and were not permitted to read and write so they remained in ignorance of what they were entitled to. The Caribbean region was left in ruins economically, socially, and politically. Being enslaved prevented these people from becoming educated in order to build their countries so they fell behind the rest of the world who did have these opportunities that come with freedom.
- Summary of the Keynote Address by Diana Marquis-Solomon
Vice Chair – Luton Sankofa Committee - Saturday, 25th March 2017, Luton Town Hall
Sources:
Black in Latin America. United States: PBS Distribution, 2011. Film.
Dubois, Laurent. “Confronting the Legacies of Slavery.” The New York Times. October 28, 2013. Accessed December 2, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/29/opinion/international/confronting-the-legacies-of-slavery.html?pagewanted=all&module=Search&mabReward=relbias:w.
“Here Are The 20 Poorest Nations In The World.” Business Insider. October 3, 2010. Accessed December 6, 2014. http://www.businessinsider.com/poorest-countries-in-the-world-2010-8/republic-of-haiti-1#20-republic-of-haiti-1.
Higman, B. W. A Concise History of the Caribbean. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 123-124.
Law, Ian. Racism and Ethnicity: Global Debates, Dilemmas, Directions. Harlow, England: Longman, 2010.
Rattansi, Ali. Racism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. 30.
“Slavery in the Caribbean.” Slavery in the Caribbean. Accessed December 6, 2014. http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/slavery/archaeology/caribbean/.
Anthony T. Browder, Interview with Rock Newman
Ancient Times – J H Breasted, 1914 and 1935
