New exhibition examines Jersey's role in transatlantic slave trade

A new exhibition examining Jersey's role in the transatlantic slave trade officially opens on Tuesday at Jersey Museum's Victorian House.

'Trade Roots' exposes "uncomfortable new stories" from the island's past, as well as the ongoing legacy of the slave trade in Jersey. It will open to the public tomorrow (Wednesday 24 August).

Visitors can learn about the island's past role in the global trade of slave-produced goods, such as sugar, coffee, cotton, tobacco, and mahogany.

Organisers have spent two years researching the project, with new evidence showing the Jersey Museum's Victorian House was partly built with profits from the slave trade.

Jersey Heritage have organised a schools programme that focuses on the exhibition. There are also a number of events scheduled in October to mark Black History Month.

Jade Ecobichon-Gray, a member of Jersey Heritage’s Diversity & Inclusion Group, said: "The importance of decolonising history cannot be underestimated.

"Challenging long-held dominant viewpoints allows for a broader, more nuanced understanding of the history that continues to shape our societies and communities."

More about the exhibition can be found here.