Commemoration of the abolition of slavery: "It's our story"

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the National Day of Remembrance of the slave trade, slavery and their abolitions, instituted in application of the so-called Taubira law of 2001 every May 10, is turned upside down.

A ceremony chaired by Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, takes place on Sunday but in small groups. "We will not put in brackets this commemoration despite the health requirements," said on France 24, however, former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, now president of the Foundation for the memory of slavery. 

14th national day of memories of the slave trade, slavery and their abolitions.

To honor the memory of the victims and transmit the memory of this crime against humanity. https://t.co/nhwcJMNKKa#10May pic.twitter.com/iHiyUdT6Zj

It is this Foundation which has been responsible for overseeing the commemorations this year, underlined Édouard Philippe in a circular sent Wednesday to the prefects, to whom the Prime Minister asked to organize "the commemorative ceremony planned in each department (...) respecting the rules of social distancing "and without them being open to the public.

"There will be modest national ceremonies, in Paris with the Prime Minister, but also in the provincial municipalities and Overseas with the assistance of associations. There will be a lot going on this May 10 with notably the organization a live broadcast on Facebook, "said Jean-Marc Ayrault. This live in partnership with France 24 will bring together politicians, artists and even historians invited to discuss this story.

Appointment tomorrow, Sunday 10/05, in an Instagram story for the commemoration of the slave trade, slavery and its abolitions. @ChTaubira @JoeyStarr @AissaMaiga @ fallyipupa01 will be present.
Link to the live: https://t.co/A0i07zV0Bn#10mai # PaOubliyé # FME #cestnotrehistoire pic.twitter.com/wC7VqTelCU

"It's not about creating division"

The theme for this year's commemorations is "the missing page". "We don't know how this system was set up. We know that there was slavery and abolition, but we know less that it took three revolutions to obtain this abolition", explains Jean- Marc Ayrault.

For the former mayor of the city of Nantes, the hub of triangular trade, the commemoration of May 10 is an opportunity to recall the place that slavery occupies in our national history. "It leaves deep marks and wounds. It must be repaired. It is not a question of creating division, nor of opposing memories to each other," he stressed, referring to the opponents. of this day who denounce an excess of repentance. "This is our story. And for us to share it, we must make it known."

"The objective is not to feel guilty, but to give keys to understanding and living together based on justice, equality, the fight against all forms of discrimination and racism, but also brotherhood ", insisted Jean-Marc Ayrault, while adding that it is" a topical fight ".

"Presumed portrait of Madeleine" marks a break in the representation of blacks in France in 1800. Madame Benoist uses the codes of worldly portraits to represent an ancient slave. It affirms the dignity and the beauty of the young woman. # Cestnotrehistoire # 10mai pic.twitter.com/TVpHPgiIT8

Several commemorative dates 

An estimated 12 to 18 million slaves were deported during the transatlantic trade from sub-Saharan Africa to the Americas. Under the impetus of the philosophers of the Enlightenment, a critique of slavery and the slave trade began to emerge in the 18th century. In "From the Spirit of the Laws" (1748), Montesquieu was thus sarcastic with regard to "those who call themselves Christians and who practice slavery". In 1788, the "Society of Black Friends" was created in Paris and aimed at abolition.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789 abolishes slavery but remains without consequences in the French Antilles. It was not until February 1794 that the "Society of Black Friends" obtained its first abolition. However, Napoleon Bonaparte quickly re-established slavery and dealt with it in 1802.

It was not until April 27, 1848 that a decree of the provisional government of the Second Republic definitively abolished slavery in all the French colonies. The abolition of slavery was enshrined in the Constitution on November 4, 1848.

The date of May 10 is not the only one to commemorate the abolition of slavery. May 23 is officially "National Day in tribute to the victims of colonial slavery" while each of the overseas departments has its own commemorations: April 27 in Mayotte, May 22 in Martinique, May 27 in Guadeloupe, 10 June in Guyana and December 20 in Reunion. All these days are holidays.

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