International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

The night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

“On 23 August this year, we honour the memory of the men and women who, in Saint- Domingue in 1791, revolted and paved the way for the end of slavery and dehumanization. We honour their memory and that of all the other victims of the slave trade and slavery, for whom they stand. (...) Once and for all, it is time to abolish human exploitation and to recognize the equal and unconditional dignity of each and every individual on Earth. Today, let us remember the victims and freedom fighters of the past so that they may inspire future generations to build just societies.” — AUDREY AZOULAY, DIRECTOR GENERAL, UNESCO

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Enslaved: a 6-part documentary series now streaming on CBC Gem

EDITOR: Sonia Godding Togobo

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E0: Trailer
Samuel L. Jackson, along with a team of investigative journalists and divers, uncovers the hidden history of the transatlantic slave trade.

E1: Cultures Left Behind
Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson goes on a personal journey to Africa, launching the epic story of the transatlantic slave trade, as told from the ocean floor.

E2: Rationalization
How did the ideology of racism begin?

E3: Follow the Money
This episode investigates the economics of the slave trade.

E4: New World Cultures
This episode explores the fact that much of the "New World's" culture was born in the bowels of slave ships.

E5: Resistance
This episode investigates African resistance to slavery in Africa, the diaspora, and the United States where thousands of "runaways" risked their lives as part of the "Underground Railroad".

E6: Abolition
The final episode in this definitive series on the transatlantic slave trade explores the politics that brought the enslavement of Africans in the West to an end.