David Lammy welcomes Haringey Council's commitment to mark the 200th anniversary of the Parliamentary Abolition of Transatlantic Slave.

Friday, 16 March 2007

Haringey Council has launched a series of exhibitions and programmes to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Parliamentary Abolition of the Slave Trade. Marcus Garvey Library in Tottenham is the focus for a series of Haringey events commemorating the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Until 31 March the library is hosting an exhibition of the life of Harriet Tubman, who escaped from slavery in Maryland in 1848 and became a ‘conductor’ on the system set up to help slaves escape to the northern states of the US and Canada know as the ‘underground railroad’. Tubman made 19 trips into the southern states where slavery persisted and guided more than 300 slaves to freedom. She was also an advocate for women's suffrage, and published an autobiography, ‘Harriet Tubman, the Moses of Her People’, in 1869. This year's Tottenham Carnival, on Saturday 23 June from 11am, will have a Freedom theme to mark the anniversary of abolition, and a mini ‘Freedom Remembered’ carnival will be held in Lordship Park on Saturday 7 July. There will be further events during Haringey's Black History Month programme in October. David Lammy said: "As with Black History Month last year, I am pleased to see Haringey doing so much to commemorate this important event. "The transatlantic slave trade destroyed millions of lives, and exploring this important period of history and the myriad of stories from across the spectrum that made up this struggle is vital if we are to understand who we are as a nation and the background to how many communities came to live here in Tottenham. “Having looked at this period afresh over the last year, what has stuck me is the very grass roots nature of the campaign that finally led to this Parliamentary Act. People from across the country and beyond marched, fought, boycotted, gave speeches, preached and wrote pamphlets - uniting against vested interests and concentrated economic power to achieve this victory in the longer-term campaign to abolish slavery altogether. “We can see in this movement the beginnings and inspiration for many of those enormous popular campaigns: for women’s suffrage, trade union rights and more recently, Make Poverty History. Looking forward, I hope people will explore our past and find the motivation to tackle some of today’s ills, including those of human trafficking and exploitation.” Cllr Lorna Reith, Haringey Executive Member for Community involvement added: "Slavery blighted the lives of generations, and its impact is still felt today in our communities. "I'm pleased that in Haringey we are commemorating the abolition of the laws that legalised the transatlantic slave trade, and I hope that these events will also remind us of the strengths that diversity brings to Haringey, and underline the need for continued commitment to equality. "Nor is slavery just part of history. Unfortunately it is still with us, in various forms, and in remembering the steps that were taken 200 years ago I hope we can also all work towards abolishing the slavery that still exists today." Please click here to read more about events in Haringey.

Top of Page [ Back ]

Email this page to a friend

In this Section... David Lammy presents Wilberforce Slave Trade Act to Amistad as it sets sail on fantastic voyage. Culture Minister David Lammy`s Keynote Speech to ‘Slavery: Unfinished Business’ Conference. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – Slavery: then and now. "Fighting for human dignity: the common responsibility of all" - Address by H.E. Mr. Kofi A. Annan to commemorate the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. Deputy Prime Minister: Introducing Kofi Annan. David Lammy attends the launch of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Commemorative £2 Coins. David Lammy attends the House of Lords launch of the Oxford Companion to Black British History. The Prime Minister talks to Simon Schama about history and the Slave Trade. Commemoration day to recall slave trade and make UK face up to past. Protection for tomb of anti-slave trade activist. Adjournment Debate on the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade, House of Commons. David Lammy welcomes Haringey Council`s commitment to mark the 200th anniversary of the Parliamentary Abolition of Transatlantic Slave. David Lammy heralds programme of events to mark bicentenary of slave trade abolition. Parliament commemorates the bicentenary of British Parliamentary abolition of the slave trade. Leeds Hosts Abolition of the Slave Trade Bicentennial Event with Culture Minister David Lammy. David Lammy`s Podcast on the Commemoration of the Parliamentary Abolition of the Slave Trade. English Heritage searches for links to slavery. David Lammy takes historic stance on Bicentenary Commemoration to mark the abolition of slavery.