France's New National Remembrance Day for Slavery - African/Black History in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia

Two years ago, in November 2003, with the Alliance of People of African Descent in Europe, I participated in the European Social Forum held in France - in Saint Denis and next-door Paris. We had a lot of discussion of France's history of Black enslavement, especially in and with Haiti. This was on the eve of Haiti's 2004 bi-centennial (which was greatly under-observed internationally). Early 2004 witnessed the "mysterious" 'removal' of elected Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide. What role if any did France have in that?? The 2003 ESF experience in Paris could be the subject of at least one other blog entry. In any case, I would be very grateful if someone reading this might share this with Jacques Chirac and with anyone else thinking, or who needs to think, about public policy and public responsibility, and paucity of both, toward the historic global trafficking of African people. Today (actually yesterday) from Paris Associated Press reports: "France will introduce a national day of remembrance for slavery, an issue that still wounds "a large number of our fellow citizens," President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday." [4 Jan 2006.] Note to M. Chirac - this extends far beyond France. Not only is such a decision unbelievably overdue, these "wounds" of which Jacques Chirac speaks are found among and well beyond his "fellow" and sister French citizens. (This entry continues below!)

... (Today (actually yesterday) from Paris Associated Press reports: "France will introduce a national day of remembrance for slavery, an issue that still wounds "a large number of our fellow citizens," President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday." [4 Jan 2006.] Note to M. Chirac - this extends far beyond France. Not only is such a decision unbelievably overdue, these "wounds" of which Jacques Chirac speaks are found among and well beyond his "fellow" and sister French citizens.)... M. Chirac should make efforts to recall all of France's history, presence and influence in areas regions that no longer are extensions of France but which were in the 18th century and into the 19th. This includes much of what now is the USA, including 'la Louisiane' and 'la ville de Nouvelle Orleans' (and the whole "Louisiana Purchase" area that the US bought from France in 1803). In the AP article I notice no mention and no show of appreciation by Mr. Chirac of Mme Christiane Taubira, the person (Member of French Parliament) who actually proposed and propelled the parliamentary proposition that became French law declaring slavery a crime against humanity. (At the 2003 Paris/Saint Denis European Social Forum we gave Mme Taubira a much-deserved standing ovation.) (I blogged about Mme Taubira in May 2005.) Taubira represents that part of Guyana [i.e., "French Guyana", Guiane francaise - not the country formerly known as "British Guyana" ] (a South American country - and thus nowhere near France) which, as some type of "possession" - "overseas department" - of France, remains (nominally) francophone. Of course some call this colonialism. In the slave trade tens of millions of Africans were kidnapped from their home territories, then transferred to coastal Africa, then deported by ship to virtually every other world region - particularly to the Americas. That is a thin thread of the history that links my own African ancestors to my family and my community and to all of Africa's Historical Diaspora of the Americas. Physical, sexual, psychological, social and economic violence were used to label Africans who were trafficked, and Africans in general, as "slaves." In most places in the Americas, Black people were labeled as "chattel" - possessions - with a legal status equivalent to chickens, cows and farm equipment. Thanks to enslavement, in the US the vast majority of Black Americans could not marry anyone until 1866. Basically 1866 was almost the last quarter of the 19th century. Enslavement of Blacks in the Americas did not end until the last two countries abolished it - Cuba in 1886 and Brasil in 1888. Mr. Chirac's announcement of a national day of remembrance came during his New Year's remarks to the press while "outlining his plans for 2006." But why brag about the belated declaration? "France was exemplary in being the first country in the world - and today still the only one - to recognize slavery as a crime against humanity. I have decided to introduce a remembrance day," he added. Chirac's accurate implication is that there are other players who also need to reconcile their roles in the international trade in Black people. In no special order these would be 1) Holland, 2) Denmark, 3) Britain, 4) Spain and 5) Portugal as the five, rather than four, most notable other countries. France finally ended its own direct enslavement of Black people in 1848; yet only after its white society had consolidated its development and amassed an enormous empire and treasury constructed on the backs of deliberately oppressed and suffering Blacks. Was 1848 really so long ago? Well into the 20th century France (reportedly aided by certain of its allies) actually forced Haiti to re-pay France for "French losses" due to Haitians liberating themselves from slavery and colonisation. I love France. I'm glad they are doing this. In 2006 we shall see who follows suit next.

Comments

[Marian]

Bienvenu sur mon blog. Et bien sur que vous puissiez me contacter. Il y a un link quelque part ici sur mon blog pour m'envoyer un email. Merci!

[tom dostou]

Bonjour ! Mon nom est Thomas Dostou. Je suis un Chef de la Nation Algonquin/Wabanaki de la nord est de L'Amerique.

On est en train de communique avec La France pour discuter les anciennes traites signes entre notre Peuple est La France entre 1580 et 1757..

Est ce que c'est possible de communique avec Vous pour en avoir unepue d'informations sur votre demarche vis a vis votre Mouvement?

Merci beaucoup, Tom Dostou, Chef