It's been 200 years since then, and commemoration activities of this bicentenary were held in the UK and other countries connected to the trade to mark this day - such as a walk led by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Rowan Williams) and the Archbishop of York (Dr John Sentamu) where some 250 walked in chains, a modern version of those that held the African slaves back then.
However, controversy has dogged this day. For example, Prime Minister Tony Blair was blasted for not formally apologising for the UK's leading and principal role in the slave trade even though he did express deep sorrow and regret. And a protestor by the name of Toyin Agbetu interrupted a commemorative service at Westminster Abbey by shouting demands for an apology at the Queen and Tony Blair and condemned African Christians for taking part. It is interesting to note that his feeling was shared by quite a number of Africans who were attending the service.
It is hard to gauge the lasting effect of slavery on the descendents of the slaves living in the UK and other parts of the world. And I can't even begin to imagine how this burden of history and oppression has affected them. But it is undeniable that a lot of the riches and splendid buildings and manors in the UK exist as a result of the slave trade.
Anyway, while I was surfing Apple's Quicktime trailer site just now, I came across this interesting movie starring Ioan Gruffudd. Entitled "Amazing Grace", it's about William Wilberforce (1759 - 1833), an MP in the British parliament who became the spokesperson and prime mover of the act that finally ended the slave trade.
The title of the movie is taken from the hymn of the same name written by John Newton (1725 - 1807), a former captain of a slave ship who later became an Anglican pastor and mentor to William.
Despite its heavy religious and church-y feel, which I am sure will be milked for all its worth by the more... how should I put... independent and neo-con evangelical churches with political aspirations, the trailer makes it seem very powerful and moving. But leaving religion aside, I think it's a good attempt at dramatising the person who practically changed history with his relentless effort for 30 years in parliament. I guess it would have taken a shorter time if he wasn't such a clumsy political strategist.
Of course it's easy to make William the hero of the abolition movement, but it is an undeniable fact that a lot of other people (known or unknown) contributed to the eventual end of slavery. And as a matter of fact, it was a combination of factors within and without Westminster and the UK that finally made the passage of the act possible.
And before we make William out to be some infallible hero, we need to remember that he is human with his own foibles too; such as his religious conservatism, which ironically led him to his work in trying to end slavery.
200 years later, his work and the work of his contemporaries are still not complete.
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