UNITED NATIONS, New York — In a powerful and emotionally charged gathering at the United Nations, descendants of British slave owners stood alongside descendants of the enslaved to confront one of the darkest chapters in human history and to call for meaningful reparative action.
Among them was Charles Gladstone, the great-great-grandson of 19th-century British Prime Minister William Gladstone, who expressed public remorse after discovering that his family built their wealth on the backs of enslaved Africans in Jamaica and Guyana. “I felt a profound sense of guilt,” he admitted, acknowledging that the privileges of his lineage were “essentially connected to this criminal past.”
He wasn’t alone. Laura Trevelyan, a former BBC journalist turned reparations activist, revealed that her ancestor, Sir John Trevelyan, once owned over 1,000 enslaved people on sugar plantations in Grenada. After uncovering the truth through online records from Britain’s Slave Compensation Commission, she formally apologized and pledged £100,000 ($133,000) toward education in Grenada. Though some criticized this as insufficient, her family’s gesture marked a rare and courageous act of historical reckoning.
A Historic U.N. Meeting: A Painful Reckoning
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the U.N. Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, brought together diplomats, scholars, and descendants of slave owners and the enslaved. It was the first event of its kind, a symbol of a changing global conversation in which reparations, once taboo, are now increasingly at the forefront.
Aidee Walker, a descendant of both a Jamaican slaveholder and an African housekeeper, shared how a DNA test unexpectedly connected her to Nigeria. Her sister, Kate Thomas, said that learning about their family’s role in slavery compelled them to act. “If we can get the numbers,” she noted, “we can pressure institutions and governments to follow.”
Slavery’s Legacy Still Felt Today
According to U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk, between 25 and 30 million West Africans were uprooted and enslaved across the Americas from the 1500s onward. While Britain is often lauded for its role in abolishing slavery in 1833, its role in establishing and profiting from the trade remains grossly underacknowledged. “The evils of this crime against humanity are not historical,” said Gladstone. “They’re still deeply felt today.”
Despite these revelations and symbolic gestures, the British government has refused to consider cash reparations, with a recent statement from Development Minister Anneliese Dodds reaffirming that there would be no financial payments to Caribbean nations.
This stance has drawn criticism from activists and historians who argue that true justice requires more than regret; it necessitates tangible restitution.
CARICOM’s Reparations Plan Gains Traction
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has developed a 10-point reparatory justice plan, including formal apologies, educational reforms, and debt cancellation. Verene Shepherd, vice-chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, urged European nations to move beyond vague acknowledgments. “Remorse is not enough,” she said. “Reparations are a moral and historical obligation.”
Arley Gill, chair of Grenada’s National Reparations Commission, struck an optimistic tone, stating that “the tide is turning” and that more global leaders are beginning to recognize colonialism’s enduring crimes.
From Silence to Action
The event concluded with a powerful message from Ambassador Walton Webson of Antigua and Barbuda: “We’ve reached a point where talking about reparations is no longer taboo. Now, it must be on the lips of every child and person and lead to action.”
What once seemed unthinkable, Britain’s elite grappling with their ancestral crimes, is now part of a growing international movement for justice. The question remains: Will remorse be followed by repair?
