The shame of slavery............by KJS Chatrath

 While sorting out my old papers, today I came across a clipping from The Economist dated July 29th, 2006. It talks about "Slavery in West Africa: Stones of shame" while briefly reviewing the book "The Grand Slave Emporium: Cape Coast Castle and the British Slave Trade" by William St. Claire.

The book focuses on the castle, located on the coast of present-day Ghana, which served as a hub for the capture, storage, and shipment of enslaved Africans to the Americas and Europe. St. Clair delves into the daily operations of the castle, highlighting the brutal and dehumanizing conditions enslaved individuals endured while awaiting transportation. He examines the lives and motivations of the British traders, soldiers, and officials who operated the castle, providing a stark contrast to the experiences of the enslaved.

It makes a grim reading and reminds one of the line 'And much it grieves my heart to see, What man has made of man' written by William Wordsworth in  "Lines written in Early Spring'"


 

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