Trinity College to examine how it might have gained from slavery Loop Cayman Islands

Trinity College in the United Kingdom has announced that it will appoint a Legacies of Slavery Research and Teaching Fellow to examine how it benefited from and stood against the slave trade and other forms of forced labour during the colonial era.

Trinity College, which is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, said it will appoint the fellow by October 2023.

The college’s move comes in the wake of the University of Cambridge’s 2019 – 2022 Legacies of Slavery Inquiry.

Trinity College said the Legacies of Slavery Fellow will be “actively involved in teaching and College life, engaging in discussions with the community about their research findings, and convening a public lecture series about issues raised by research into colonial era practices of enslavement, their far-reaching consequences and how institutions grapple with these legacies today”.

Isuri Ratnayake, Ethnic and Inclusion Officer of Trinity’s Graduate Society, welcomed the College’s commitment to addressing its past.

“Examining and acknowledging the College’s legacies of slavery is crucial in cultivating a culture of accountability and inclusivity. Only by facing our past can we pave the way towards a more equitable future, where all members of our community can thrive free from the shadows of oppression and discrimination,” Ratnayake stated.

“I hope that other institutions along with Trinity continue in recognising their historical ties to slavery and taking tangible steps towards repair and reconciliation.”

Dr Michael Banner, Dean and Fellow of Trinity College, said it was important for the college to understand the legacies of colonial-era slavery, the conduct and consequences of which permeated eighteenth and early nineteenth-century Britain and its empire.

“This welcomed initiative by Trinity is essential to enabling us to comprehend the extent to which the College was involved or benefited from slavery, whether directly or indirectly. This research will enable debate and discussion from a wide range of perspectives, both within the College community and with the wider public,” he said.

Trinity College has pledged to donate ?1 million over five years to Cambridge Caribbean Scholarships, enabling up to three Masters’ students per year from the Caribbean to study at Cambridge.

Two PhD studentships will also be available during the five-year initiative, which begins in October.