This month, a Dutch exhibition on slavery will be on display at United Nations headquarters in New York. Put together by the Rijksmuseum, the exhibition shows the experiences of those involved in hopes of bringing the story closer. But to many conservative Americans, attention to slavery, especially in schools, has spiraled wildly out of control.
The exhibition was shown in Amsterdam two years ago. The exhibit at the time was built around an antique leg bar, a large wooden block with chains and round holes, to which enslaved people were chained by their ankles.
Stories about various historical figures can be read on the walls. Like Oopjen Coppit, known for Rembrandt’s Marder, and Oopjen, who also profited from the slave trade. The story is also told by Tula, the leader of the slave revolt in Curaçao.
A glimpse of what you can see:
Kamau Ware believes these stories are much needed in the United States. He has recently started giving tours of the town’s slavery past in Manhattan’s Wall Street neighborhood. He is pleased that the exhibition has arrived at the UN building: “The fact that the Dutch have returned to New York after all these centuries to talk about the slave trade shows that we are no longer turning our backs on history.”
His tours take you to the highlights of New Amsterdam’s slavery past, after which the city was named by the Dutch. As much of the heritage has been replaced over the centuries by huge skyscrapers, clues to these places often do not go beyond the name of a signboard or a square.
Kamau felt the need to tell people more about the history of slavery because teachers are under pressure: “I think more and more teachers are afraid of losing their jobs because more and more people don’t want these kinds of topics in their classrooms. discussed.”
safe zone
He talks about conservative Americans trying to prevent slavery from being recognized in schools. Republican politicians say such lectures turn kids against each other and make them feel guilty about the color of their skin.
Kamau thinks fear is nonsense: “These kids will learn what fear is because we’re talking facts here.” She encourages parents to subject their children to slavery: “As a parent, it’s your job to expose your child to these things, not protect them from them.”
To resign
The exhibition’s curator, Valika Smeulders, is also concerned about the heated debate in the US: “It’s hard to see America seem to be going backwards.” Talking about these personal experiences is important because they give us new insights. Then you don’t have to start thinking negatively about yourself.”
Smeulders notes that in New York there is a great deal of interest in how the Dutch deal with their past of slavery: “Many people have heard our prime minister apologize, they find it very interesting.”
Smeulders is not very interested in resistance among Americans: “There are always waves of dealing with injustices of the past. You saw a backlash after Obama became the first black president. I hope that with this exhibition, we can perhaps contribute a little to this discussion.”
Kamau Ware sees that the intensity of the reactions is getting less and less: “In times of progression one always suffers from resistance. I see it as lashes. And those lashes are getting weaker.”
Source: NOS
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
