The British Empire and slavery - Info pack

The historical connection between the British Empire and slavery is a significant and complex part of Britain's past. Children in British colonies, as depicted in Dame Floella Benjamin's story 'Coming to England', would have been taught to revere British history and sing the national anthem, all the while learning that their homelands, such as Trinidad, were part of the vast British Empire. This empire, once celebrated for its global reach, also has a darker legacy tied to its involvement in the Atlantic Slave Trade. Beginning around 400 years ago, Britain entered this trade, eventually transporting approximately three million black Africans into slavery in the American colonies and the West Indies. While Britain was not the originator of the slave trade, it greatly expanded and profited from the pre-existing system established by other European nations.

The British Empire's wealth and expansion were significantly bolstered by the slave trade, with the Royal African Company, established under King Charles II and led by the Duke of York (later James II), enslaving around 150,000 African people. This trade formed part of a larger triangular trade system, where goods were exchanged for enslaved people, who were then forced to work on plantations producing commodities like sugar and cotton for European markets. The wealth generated from this trade contributed to the construction of many grand buildings and architecture in Britain. It is important to acknowledge that the enslaved Africans were an integral part of British history from the moment of their enslavement, and understanding the full scope of the Atlantic Slave Trade is essential in recognising Britain's past, including the aspects that are now seen as inglorious.