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2007 marked the bicentenary of the British parliamentary
abolition of the Atlantic slave trade. The innovative 'Ties and
Lives Project' was set up to explore the historic records of
Kentish slave owning families and abolitionists, and to foster an
understanding of the impact that slavery and the abolitionist
movement have had on the lives of Kentish people. The project was
run by Kent Libraries and Archives, and funded by the Heritage
Lottery Fund and Creative Partnerships.
Why research the Atlantic slave trade?
The trade in African slaves between the sixteenth and nineteenth
centuries affected millions of people, spanned three continents and
helped to create the world we know today. To quote Trevor Phillips,
Head of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights: "As we
struggle to understand the nature of our nation and its place in
the world, we have to shine a light into every crevice of our past.
Slavery belongs to all of us. Whatever, we think we are, we still
have a shared past."
Sources held in Kent Archives reflect both the geography of the
Atlantic slave trade and its chronology, and offer some fascinating
depth studies of enslaved Africans, slave owners and
abolitionists.
Use the following to gain an overview before visiting our
archive centres:
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