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Mayors

London to Create Global Network of Memorials to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced plans to create a global network of memorials to victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, starting with a memorial in Accra, Ghana, and a landmark memorial in London's West India Quay. The initiative aims to educate future generations about the capital's role in the trade and its lasting impact on generations of Africans around the world.

Key Takeaways:

  • The first of a global network of memorials to victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade will be created in Accra, Ghana, linked to the landmark memorial planned in London.
  • The Accra memorial will be located outside the city hall and will be designed by local leaders and communities, with plans led by the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey.
  • The memorial in London, called "The Wake," will feature a seven-meter-tall bronze cowrie shell sculpture with the names of enslaved people inside and a wind-chime soundscape, funded by the Mayor with £500,000.
  • Freetown in Sierra Leone will also join the global network of memorial sites, featuring a smaller cowrie shell artwork designed by Khaleb Brooks.
  • The new memorials will involve programs educating future generations about the connections between London's wealth and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
  • The initiative aims to create a space for reflection, education, and healing, recognizing the legacy of Transatlantic Slavery and its ongoing impact on society.

Statistics:

  • 1 million people were trafficked from the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana) as part of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
  • £500,000 funding from the Mayor will support the creation of the memorial in London, with plans to work closely with partners to co-fund the memorial program.
  • 2026: The King's Bench Estate development's public park will be leased to a social activist-led community trust to create the memorial in London.
  • The Cowrie shell holds cultural and spiritual significance, but became a stark symbol of slavery and the exploitation of human life as currency.
  • 4: The number of days the Mayor of London has spent on his trade mission to Africa, visiting Lagos, Accra, Johannesburg, and Cape Town.

Sources:

  • London.gov.uk, [The Wake selected as the Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery](https://www.london.gov.uk/media-centre/mayors-press-release/The-Wake-selected-as-the-Memorial-to-Victims-of-Transatlantic-Slavery)
  • London.gov.uk, [Mayor of London to build a memorial in Accra, Ghana, to remember victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade](https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayors-press-release/mayor-of-london-to-build-a-memorial-in-accra-ghana)

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