Question, raise your hand if you have heard about the permanent memorial to honor the victims of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade in the United States let alone at the United Nations? Not very many hands would go up and most people have never heard of this memorial and it is right in the heart of New York City! Its is located at United Nations Visitors Plaza on 1st Avenue and 46th Street in midtown Manhattan. Visiting hours range from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. and Saturday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information visit: www.rememberslavery.un.org or email: education-outreach@un.org
The United Nations
United Nations Headquarters
Unfortunately, there is no official memorial of recognition and acknowledgement anywhere on United States soil that acknowledges the hard truth or existence that slavery was a widespread and common practice where millions of people of African descent were the victims of the heinous practice "of the trading of flesh" from 1619 to 1865 in the continental United States. This unwillingness from the U.S. government makes the conversation of reparations that much harder as a nation because it minimizes the importance of an undeniable time in the country's history. The definition of reparations is "the making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money or compensation to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged"and there is on the part of the U.S. government records where reparations have been paid to other citizens of the US, like Japanese Americans and Native Americans. The United States needs to officially recognize and admit its culpability for its part in the Transatlantic Slave Trade needs to end its unwillingness to acknowledge its role and history and involvement in the insidious and nefarious act and practice of chattel slavery and finally pay reparations to the descendants of African people like it has done to other individuals from other nations in its past within the 20th century.
Fortunately, the United Nations has erected and dedicated an memorial honoring the victims of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This Memorial in the words of the United Nations "acknowledges one of the most horrific tragedies of modern history and serves as a reminder of the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade"
The permanent Memorial at the site is called the Ark of Return and "it will stand as a constant reminder of the courage of slaves, abolitionists and unsung heroes who helped end the oppression of slavery. It will also promote greater recognition of the contributions that slaves and their descendants have made in their societies.
Fortunately, the United Nations has erected and dedicated an memorial honoring the victims of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This Memorial in the words of the United Nations "acknowledges one of the most horrific tragedies of modern history and serves as a reminder of the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade"
The permanent Memorial at the site is called the Ark of Return and "it will stand as a constant reminder of the courage of slaves, abolitionists and unsung heroes who helped end the oppression of slavery. It will also promote greater recognition of the contributions that slaves and their descendants have made in their societies.
2017 was the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Images of the Arc of No Return
These two plaques are newly installed additions as of March 2017, a week before the two year anniversary, at the memorial site in recognition of the annual celebration of the Arc of Return's dedication in March 25, 2015.
Triangular trade slave routes are drawn to illustrate where the people and resources were shipped for about 400 years from Africa, South America, the Caribbean and North America. Interestingly omitted from this marble map are trade routes shown coming from the continent of Europe. The first trade route were intitiated by Europe and began by the Portuguese in the 15th century and lasted to the 19th century. "Who do you think built the fortresses, castles, slave prisons and trading posts in West Africa to capture, house and ultimately enslave African people" says Director Kwame Christian. "Why would these carved out trade routes on the map be purposing omitted?" "European involvment in the international Atlantic slave trade is undeniable and unforgotten in the minds of historians and millions of African people."
The holes on the map of the west coast of Africa represent the various slave dungeons, fortresses, castles and prisons built by Europeans slave traders, merchants and explorers for the sole purpose of making profits and finding the natural human resources at the expense of the African continent. The area that European explorers focused on was the West African coastline which was named the Gold Coast and the Ivory Coast respectively for their rich mineral wealth and to some degree South Africa. The people, the resources and the land were all natural wealth that were prized possessions to Europeans in the beginning of the 15th century. Initiated by the Portuguese then the Spanish, the British, the French, the Dutch and Belgium, the Transatlantic slave trade resulted in the largest forced migration of people in human history. From the 1500's to the 1800's African people were taking against their will and kidnapped from their homelands, tribes and families to forcefully travel to unknown lands to work under slave conditions for the rest of their lives. Average estimations range from about 10 to 15 million Africans that were shipped to South America, the Caribbean and North America for about 400 years never to set foot back on the African continent ever again.
The aforementioned names on this plaque are the names of islands, slave forts and trading posts, castles, kingdoms, regions, cities, towns, rivers, fortresses, slave prisons and dungeons that had small and big relationships, associations, connections and links with Africa, slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Here is a view of the Arc in the evening with lights illuminating the inside and outside.
Lest we forget!