Histories of the Slave Trade

To mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade we held a day of talks, performances and debates hosted by BBC London presenter Dotun Adebayo.

The event covered both the wider historical context of abolition and the legacies of slavery for contemporary Britons. Speakers included Dr Hakim Adi of Middlesex University, lawyer Peter Herbert
and Guardian writer Joseph Harker.

A special exhibition mounted in the galleries and online included the 1789 first edition of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano and the 1787 minute book and membership list of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. An accompanying workshop was available for
schools and community groups.