Greetings,
The City of Liverpool celebrated Slavery Remembrance Day.
Liverpool Marks Slavery Remembrance Day - The Voice, Monday September 9, 2013
This is a remarkable achievement for those citizens of Liverpool who are the proud descendants of African slaves. Africans who were captured by the slave traders, transported by ship through the Middle Passage, and survived the journey to Liverpool with its prosperous trading port, to be used as free labour.
It is also an achievement for the indigenous people of Liverpool to recognize that their city owes much to the African slaves. African slaves who by blood, sweat, tears, and even death, contributed to the economic development of their great city which stands tall today.
My late mother, and I, went on a trip to Liverpool to see The Liverpool Garden Festival in the 1980's. The trip was on a very warm summer's day. We travelled by train from Birmingham, changed trains at Crewe, in Cheshire, then continued on to Liverpool. It was a very long journey.
On travelling through the Liverpool Lime Street Station tunnel, it seemed like it was about one mile long. The structure of the tunnel consisted of very large, almost boulder size, well cut stones. It may well have taken many years to build.
The section of the city I saw, had very large historical buildings which truly captured the grandeur, and enormous wealth the City of Liverpool had gained during a former time in history.
The sight of the River Mersey made me wonder if the remains of any of my African slave ancestors were buried beneath the waters.
The high point of the day was seeing The Garden Festival's exquisite flower arrangements. Various species of plants, and flowers with beautiful colours, were displayed.
Organizations were represented at The Garden Festival too, particularly, The Royal Navy Lifeboat Institute (RNLI). The objective of the RNLI is to rescue those in difficulty at sea.
I am happy that the City of Liverpool has a day to celebrate Slavery Remembrance Day.
I am happy that the 'labour' of the African slave ancestors has not been in vain, but is remembered, and celebrated, by those who are their descendants, and those who are not.
May the spirit of our African slave ancestors live on within us.
Peace
Grace
