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20 Mar 07Remembering Dorset’s Slave Trade
A forgotten part of Dorset history is commemorated on Thursday 29th March at Rossmore Library when a special event will highlight Dorset’s connection with the infamous slave trade. Members of the public are invited to come along between 11am and noon for a series of free activities including story recordings, poems and music, to mark the 200th anniversary of the Slave Trade Abolition Act.
Local poet and historian, Louisa Parker will introduce the Black History in Dorset Project, a research project run by local educational charity, Development Education in Dorset (DEED). The aim of the project is to discover the lost history of black and ethnic minority people in Dorset. Louisa believes that discovering the truth about the West Country’s multicultural links can help to overcome discrimination and racism today, and she has already turned up a wealth of interesting nuggets from local archives. Louisa will also be reading some poems from her recently published collection.
Other events include short story recordings of local black and minority ethnic people talking about growing up in Dorset, complied by Ebi Sosseh, founder of the Dorset African-Caribbean Association. There will also be a rendering of Amazing Grace, and a commemorative fabric printing activity.
Free copies of Andrea Levy’s Small Island will be given away to mark the end of a very successful mass reading project which has been running since January. Also available will be illustrated reader’s guides containing background on slavery and immigration, and material about the new film Amazing Grace which tells the story of the abolitionist MP, William Wilberforce.
Contacts: Louise Boston-Mammah
Tel 01202 739422
e-mail: deed@gn.apc.org
Louisa Parker
email: louisaparker3@hotmail.com
Jenny Oliver
Reading and Learning Librarian
Tel 01202 262434
e-mail: j.oliver@poole.gov.uk
Jenny Oliver
Directgov