Liverpool's Legacy in Slavery

Liverpool’s Legacy: Role, Abolition and Prevention of Slavery

Rachel Christie

To the superficial eye, the city of Liverpool is a hub of culture, art, and rich history. Named the European Capital of Culture in 2008, just years after achieving UNESCO World Heritage Site Status, Liverpool has undergone a notable the cultural renaissance in recent years.[1] However, over 200 years since its abolition, the Transatlantic slave trade leaves a dark stain on Liverpool’s extraordinary history. The slave trade involved the capture and forcible transportation of individuals from across West Africa to the Americas, where they were enslaved. By the late 18th century, Britain was the biggest slave trading nation, with ships from Liverpool forming an important part of the slave routes as a port city. As will also be explored, the more subtle forms of modern slavery today usually involve exploitation, coercion and a loss of freedom. These often manifest through human trafficking, forced labour in domestic industry, forced marriage and sexual objectification (particularly of young women and children).[2] Although the slave trade is far removed from modern slavery persisting today, this article will contend that accountability and education are necessary as we remember our colonial pasts and work towards a society where modern slavery cannot exist.

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