Slavery

Protesters outside the Museum of the Home in Hackny, east London
Comment

New pamphlet aids fight against slaver Geffrye

It's part of an anti-racist campaign
16 May 2022
Three actors stand in traditional dress in a stage set resembling the hull of a ship
Reviews & Culture

The Meaning of Zong—anger but also euphoria in story of slave ship

A powerful exploration of slavery
18 April 2022
News

Keep fighting after Colston Four victory so more statues fall

Build on the court victory
11 January 2022
Prince Charles next to first president of Barbados Sandra Mason at the Independence Day ceremony on a stage
Background Check

Royal family’s reign in Barbados comes to an end

Barbados is now a republic, but still with links to Britain
04 December 2021
Dorset rally targets Tory’s family’s slave trade past
News

Dorset rally targets Tory’s family’s slave trade past

Around 350 anti-racists joined a lively and noisy rally on Saturday organised by Stand Up To Racism Dorset to demand slavery justice from Tory MP Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax.
20 July 2021
Protesters demand that racist statue must fall
News

Protesters demand that racist statue must fall

More than 200 ­protesters demanded the removal of a statue of 17th century slaver Robert Geffrye at the Museum of the Home in east London, last Saturday.
14 June 2021
Ghosts—Glasgow’s hidden slave trade history revealed
Reviews & Culture

Ghosts—Glasgow’s hidden slave trade history revealed

Ghosts, written and directed by Adura Onashile, is the latest work by the National Theatre of Scotland
24 April 2021
Blood money—how wealth created by slavery bankrolled capitalist Britain
Features

Blood money—how wealth created by slavery bankrolled capitalist Britain

The rich who gained from slavery hope talking up their charitable investments will help them escape people’s anger. But as Isabel Ringrose argues, they grabbed obscene amounts of money through the slave trade and in compensation—and they should be forced to pay for it
06 March 2021
The crimes of Captain Kimber
Features

The crimes of Captain Kimber

In 1791 an atrocity so hideous occurred on a slave ship in the Atlantic that its captain was brought to a British court. The verdict was a damning indictment of both the ruling class and the way it got its riches
13 September 2020
News Image
Socialist Review Archive

Declassified

In the grounds of Lews castle on the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides there is an impressive monument commemorating the achievements of a certain James Matheson. It was erected in 1880, some two years after his death and renovated in 2006. He was the second biggest landowner in Britain, had been a Liberal MP...
08 September 2020
Carlota Lucumi—when Spanish slave owners cowered in fear
Features

Carlota Lucumi—when Spanish slave owners cowered in fear

Waves of rebellions—from on ships to at plantations—were central to ending slavery.
31 August 2020
Hamilton is entertaining—but seriously dodgy history
Reviews & Culture

Hamilton is entertaining—but seriously dodgy history

Antony Hamilton weighs in on Alexander Hamilton
10 July 2020
How blood of slavery fed profit system
Features

How blood of slavery fed profit system

Defenders of slavers’ statues warn that ­tearing them down amounts to an attempt to “erase” Britain’s history. On the surface of it, many of them pretend this is about keeping the legacy of slavery visible, not hiding it away. 
16 June 2020
Race—a capitalist invention
Features

Race—a capitalist invention

Scientists are struggling to understand how Covid-19 affects people differently. Socialist Worker shows that the construct of race has more basis in exploitation than biology
17 May 2020
A brilliant story of slavery, memories and freedom
Reviews & Culture

A brilliant story of slavery, memories and freedom

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates combines powerful descriptions of slavery with a pacey plot and strong characters, writes?Sadie Robinson
09 March 2020
Why there’s nothing funny about using blackface
Comment

Why there’s nothing funny about using blackface

Recently the Gucci luxury fashion brand produced a jumper which, when pulled over the wearer’s lower head, looks like blackface.
26 February 2019
Jamaica - a history of racism and revolt
Features

Jamaica – a history of racism and revolt

Mass deportations to Jamaica follow a long line of racist attacks on people of Caribbean descent—but that history also shows that people always resist, writes Nick Clark
10 February 2019
Alexander Hamilton—an enemy of the working class
Features

Alexander Hamilton—an enemy of the working class

As the hit musical gets rave reviews in the West End, Anthony Hamilton looks at the truth behind the other Hamilton—a racist and a capitalist class fighter
02 January 2018
News Image
Reviews & Culture

The Fearless Benjamin Lay

The just man who is resolute/ Will not be turned from his purpose/ Either by the rage of the crowd or/ By an imperious tyrant. Roberts Vaux, an early biographer of Benjamin Lay, quoted these lines by Rome’s lyric poet of antiquity, Horace, to describe the fortitude and courage Lay showed throughout his remarkable life...
01 December 2017
Border controls mean slavery and death
What We Think

Border controls mean slavery and death

Tuesday marked one year since the demolition of the “jungle” refugee camp by cops in Calais.And one year on the refugee crisis is as bad as ever.
24 October 2017
Socialist Review Archive

Why our rulers created racism

Racism is regarded as “natural” or a result of ignorance but, writes Antony Hamilton, the notion of a hierarchy of races has material roots in the birth of capitalism.
31 May 2017
Reviews & Culture

Daughters of the Dust

Loaded with symbolism, beautiful visuals and poetic dialogue, Daughters of the Dust is captivating in parts and politically charged. It was originally released 25 years ago, but its influence on Beyoncé’s celebrated Lemonade video last year has led to renewed interest and a reissue. Set on a Caribbean Island in the early 20th century, the...
29 May 2017
Capitalism—a system born of slavery
Features

Capitalism—a system born of slavery

People across the political spectrum acknowledge that racism exists, but its origins are shrouded in mystery—deliberately so.
14 March 2017
Two hundred years since the heroic Barbados slave rebellion
Features

Two hundred years since the heroic Barbados slave rebellion

 April 2016 marks the centenary of the Easter Rising in Dublin. But this month also marks the bicentenary of an earlier and less well known heroic “Easter rising” - by slaves in Barbados in 1816.
24 April 2016