France acknowledges its slave trade history but must do more to address Caribbean legacy, argues academic
By
Marie-Annick Gournet
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Summary
Marie-Annick Gournet reflects on France's evolving recognition of its role in the transatlantic slave trade, particularly through the Taubira law which recognized slavery as a crime against humanity. However, she argues that symbolic gestures are insufficient — the Caribbean territories of Guadeloupe and Martinique continue to suffer from the enduring economic, social, and psychological consequences of colonialism and slavery. The article calls for concrete reparative actions beyond acknowledgment, including addressing ongoing inequalities and systemic discrimination faced by these overseas territories.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledVive la République, et vive la France.
The notorious Code Noir is gone. But people in Guadeloupe and Martinique continue to live with the consequences.
As applause rippled around the reception room of the Elysée Palace, whose construction was financed by a 18th-century slave-owning magnate, Leïla Brédent, a black soprano from Guadeloupe, launched into a stirring rendition of La Marseillaise.
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