Use the hashtag #AfricanHolocaust to show the world you haven’t forgotten and that you will not allow history to be censored.

The African Holocaust / Transatlantic Slave Trade / Maangamizi are all terms used to describe the enslavement of African people which spanned Memorial_Service_Posterover 400 years, involved 15+ million men, women and children and was brought about by seven European countries: Britain, Portugal, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.

In 1998, by adoption of a special resolution, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) set aside August 23rd as International Slavery Remembrance Day. This date is significant as it is the date of the beginning of the Haitian Revolution, where an uprising of the enslaved Africans of Haiti led to the defeat of three European superpowers (Britain, France and Spain) and culminated in the abolition of slavery and the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte’s army at the Battle of Vertières.

With Commander Toussaint Louverture at the helm, on 1 January 1804 Haiti became the first independent sovereign state in Latin America, emerged as the first black republic in the world, and the second nation in the western hemisphere (after the United States) to win its independence from a European power.
Unfortunately International Slavery Remembrance Day passes by largely unmemorialised in the UK with the vast majority of the British public being completely oblivious to its existence. Whether this is through shame or racism, one can only guess, whatever the reason we believe it is time this changed. We believe the victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade / African Holocaust are equally important as the victims of the Jewish Holocaust and should be treated as such.

The Billboard

The idea for the African Holocaust Censored billboard located on South Lambeth Road, Vauxhall arose from a recent form, of what can only be described as, discrimination against the Stop The Maangamizi organisers, and in turn the wider black community. Although not decided, the original strap line for the poster was going to be one of two possibilities: ‘Sorry if my scars make you feel uncomfortable’ or  ‘You can’t tackle racism without tackling its roots’. However, this soon changed once we learned of the shocking problem our brothers and sisters from the Stop the Maangamizi organisation faced when trying to run an advert in a major national newspaper.

Stop the Maangamizi organise an annual march for an ‘All-Party Commission For Truth & Reparatory Justice, and other actions necessary to advance the process of dialogue from the ground-upwards, with the British State and society on Reparatory Justice’.  The march is widely ignored by the British media, just as International Slavery Remembrance Day is. This year, due to lack of media coverage, the organisers attempted to buy some publicity by placing an advert in a major national newspaper. As part of their advert the organisers wished to use the term ‘African Holocaust’ but were prevented from doing so by the newspaper. The newspaper claimed the word ‘holocaust’ was reserved for the Jewish community and if the organisers insisted on using the word they would not print the

This type of attitude towards this part of history highlights the struggles the black community face when attempting to have their voices heard and and their story told, which is continually and systematically whitewashed, downplayed and diluted so as to lessen the magnitude of this part of history and diminish its significance.

The word holocaust is not a Hebrew word, its roots lay in Greek Latin, middle English and old French. For a national newspaper to reserve the use of this word for the exclusive use of one community whilst at the same time censoring the voice and history of another is both shocking and telling.

National Memorial Service

On August the 21st, we shall be making history by holding the first ever national memorial service in Trafalgar Square for the victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade / African Holocaust. If you believe they deserve to be remembered, if you believe all black lives matter and if you are against racism in whichever shape or form it rears its ugly head, then please join us on August 21st. You can find out more at our Facebook event page:



23/08 Slavery Remembrance Day

23/08 Slavery Remembrance Day