The British National Trust has announced that it has decided to keep controversial statues that are related to slavery because they hope the public displays can encourage and stimulate debates.
They did state that they will make sure that the statues’ contexts are explained.
The organization said that it is nearing its year-long process of gathering information about the statues that decorate the mansions from colonial times. It said that about one-third of all statues are in some way connected to slaves or slavery.
In the report that is scheduled to be released to the public in September, the National Trust has traced back the origins of the vast wealth that the original owners of large mansions and castles from the colonial times.
According to the organization’s research, many of the original owners of these still luxurious places used the money that they earned from the sugar plantations in the West Indies to construct the buildings. Needless to say, slave labor was used in these plantations.
For the report, National Trust has looked into over 300 homes across the UK. One of the members who was involved with the research said that it was an emotional and difficult process because some of the statues and objects were merely reflections of a different time and era.
At the same time, the researcher emphasized the importance of keeping the statues where they are. According to her, people interpreting and understanding the statues in the new lens is progress, not shutting down the debate by erasing and hiding these aspects.
This is not to say that the organization has gone soft on slave owners and the dark history behind the buildings. For instance, it clearly mentions that the glorious Penrhyn Castle was built with the blood and tears of Jamaican plantation workers and slave trading.
Even in describing their role in today’s society, the National Trust says that they are in charge of caring for different structures that are related to the legacy of slave trading and colonialism.
During the process of deciding the path forward, the organization referred to the public’s opinion – both young and old. For example, they invited students to tour around the aforementioned Penrhyn Castle. At the end, one boy wrote a moving poem from the slave’s perspective, which will be displayed.
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Replaced!