Member Article

New online collection reveals North East's anti-slavery history

Historic records detailing the region’s anti-slavery movement will go online for the first time to mark the 200th anniversary of the 1807 ‘Abolition of the Slave Trade Act’. Durham University library’s collection of anti-slavery posters, letters, documents and reports will be accessible from what is the first University library website to provide online resources for schools.

The project is one of several the University is developing this year to help school pupils in the North East learn about slavery and the part their region played in its abolition. The library’s collection includes the works of Durham abolitionist Granville Sharp, who became renowned for his campaigns against slavery, as well as the works of the 2nd Earl Grey, the descendent of a long established Northumbrian family, who eventually became Prime Minister.

Dr Sarah Price, Access and Learning Officer at the Library, said: “In the 19th Century, the North East had a high proportion of anti-slavery support and that’s why the University Library has such a large collection of work on slavery. I hope that we can raise the profile of Granville Sharp and show that history is still relevant today. “By using history we can illuminate the present and show that issues such as slavery are not dead and buried.”

Any teachers interested in working on the project should call Sarah Price on 0191 334 1213.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .