Enlarging Memory of Slavery's History: Memorial Erected in a Paris Suburban Area by France
Francing up the Past: Slavery Memorials in Unlikely Places
France has been on a mission to remember and celebrate the dark past of the slave trade since 2006, picking May 10 as the day to commemorate the topic. The choice of this date is a nod to the Taubira Law of 2001, which recognized the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity.
Cities with a historical link to the slave trade, such as Nantes, Bordeaux, and La Rochelle, were the first to establish memorial sites dedicated to this topic. But Arcueil, a small town in Paris' suburbs, with 21,000 residents, wanted to join the club, even though it didn't have a direct connection to the slave trade.
Guillaume Guillot, Arcueil's deputy mayor, filled us in on the details:
"We were looking to install a broken column, symbolizing the broken nature of slavery," Guillot explains. "We then planned to have a stele with a plaque, with the text decided upon by the town's youth. In the end, we settled on the first article of the 2001 law, which recognizes slavery as a crime against humanity. We also added a quote from French Martiniquais writer Édouard Glissant about memory: 'Oblivion offends, and memory, when shared, abolishes this offence.'"
Remembering the Past, for a Brighter Future
For a decade, Arcueil has been holding a commemoration on May 10 at its war memorial. But the town wanted a dedicated space for reflection, Guillot adds.
Damarys Maa Marchand, a women's rights activist and member of the collective Les Chemins de la Mémoire, had this to say about the new memorial site: "This place will serve as a source of strength when I need it."
"We've seen memorials dedicated to other aspects of French history," Marchand continued. "We always thought one day, we'd have a place like this for slavery."
The Foundation for the Remembrance of Slavery will now register this new memorial site. France ended slavery in its colonies in 1794, only to reinstate it in 1802 under Napoleon Bonaparte. It wasn't until 1848, after years of pressure from abolitionists and uprisings in the colonies, that slavery was permanently abolished.
A National Movement
Arcueil's memorial is just one example of a broader national movement to acknowledge and remember the history of slavery and its impact. Memorials in non-historically linked locations reflect efforts to promote education and inclusivity across France.
By creating memorials in places not directly involved in the slave trade, France aims to promote a more nuanced understanding of its complex history, from various perspectives. Memorials serve as symbols of remembrance and reflection, ensuring that the history of slavery is not forgotten and its legacy continues to shape contemporary society.
- France's endeavor to remember and celebrate the historic atrocities of the slave trade extends beyond historical towns, with Arcueil - a town without a direct connection to the slave trade - also seeking a memorial site.
- On May 10, Arcueil, much like cities with a historical link to the slave trade, commemorates the dark past with a pilgrimage to their war memorial.
- Guillaume Guillot, the deputy mayor of Arcueil, has revealed plans for a dedicated space for reflection, featuring a broken column symbolizing the broken nature of slavery and a plaque with a quote from French Martiniquais writer Édouard Glissant about memory.
- Damarys Maa Marchand, a women's rights activist, expressed her belief that the new memorial site in Arcueil will serve as a source of strength and a testament to the national movement aiming to acknowledge and remember the history of slavery.
- In an effort to further promote education and inclusivity, Arcueil's memorial will be registered with the Foundation for the Remembrance of Slavery, reflecting France's reconciliation with its past.
- As technology advances, associated gadgets like smartphones, wearables, and smart-home devices may also be used to commemorate the history of slavery and foster conversations about themes like data-and-cloud-computing and artificial-intelligence in the context of cybersecurity and international policymaking.
- This national movement towards acknowledging slavery and its impacts mirrors global efforts in attaining a comprehensive understanding of complex historical narratives, and serves as a reminder that remembrance and reflection are vital for shaping a brighter future.
