(Title Image: © Copyright Jeremy Bolwell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence BY-SA-2.0)
A national audit commissioned by the Welsh Government has identified 176 individuals who have been formally commemorated in Wales after being directly involved in or benefiting from the slave trade and/or accused of crimes against people of colour during the colonial period (pdf).
Some of the people identified in the negative include famous historical figures such as Thomas Picton, Henry Morton Stanley (pictured) and Cecil Rhodes, as well as the pirates Henry Morgan, Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts and Francis Drake – who were all involved in the slave trade.
However, another 13 people of interest commemorated in Wales were identified as opponents to slavery, including Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington), Robert Owen and Henry Somerset (Duke of Beaufort).
11 individuals weren’t given a particular status but have been noted by campaigners, including former UK prime ministers Winston Churchill and William Gladstone, as well as Elihu Yale, Christopher Columbus and Iolo Morgannwg (who opposed slavery but inherited a sugar plantation which was free of slave labour at that point).
41 people of colour were identified as being of historical significance to Wales, but there are only 8 recorded public commemorations, one of which – a statue of former headteacher Betty Campbell – is due to be installed in central Cardiff during 2021.
The First Minister said: “This is the first stage of a much bigger piece of work, which must now, collectively, consider how we move forward with this information as we seek to honour and celebrate our diverse communities. I will not pre-empt any recommendations that may come from this wider work but this audit must be the start of an open conversation with our communities.”
