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Abraham Lincoln, speaking at Peoria on October 16, 1854, said, “Slavery is founded in the selfishness of man’s nature — opposition to it is in his love of justice. These principles are an eternal antagonism; and when brought into collision so fiercely, as slavery extension brings them, shocks, and throes, and convulsions must ceaselessly follow. Repeal the Missouri Compromise — repeal all compromises — repeal the declaration of independence — repeal all past history, you still cannot repeal human nature. It still will be the abundance of man’s heart, that slavery extension is wrong; and out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth will continue to speak.”
2. In these evil and vacillating times of woke culture wars, the fear of hurting people and the desire for cheap applause at the expense of common sense have prevented us from openly and constructively debating the issue of slavery and its enduring legacy. It has prevented us from searching out the wound to the bottom; we must lay it bare to the bone. And as Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” which applies equally to the unexamined society in which we live today. In this regard, we must pose the straightforward question, “How can we pay for the sins of our forefathers?” in order to properly examine the legacy and effects of slavery on all of us in the twenty-first century.
3. No one is more qualified to help us examine this painful question than Charlie Gladstone, who, upon discovering John Gladstone’s role in slavery, Charlie broke down in tears and felt absolutely terrible. He was absolutely shocked and sick. Charlie’s great-great grandfather, William Gladstone, was the four-time British prime minister. William Gladstone was the son of Sir John Gladstone, the 1st Baronet, a Scottish merchant, planter, Tory politician, and slave owner.
4. Charlie is an author and entrepreneur who employs about 100 people. He also worked in the music industry and now runs retail and hospitality businesses.
5. Charlie Gladstone, along with Richard Atkinson, John Dower, Rosemary Mecklenburgh, Alex Renton, Laura Trevelyan, and Robin Wedderburn, founded a collective, an advocacy group, Heirs of Slavery, in April 2023. The collective’s purpose is to acknowledge slavery as a crime against humanity and address its ongoing consequences. The collective supports “today’s movements seeking apology, dialogue, reconciliation, and reparative justice.”
6. In this episode, we discuss the topic: Slavery: How To Pay For The Sins Of Our Forefathers
7. Look up Episode 019 of Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa, and please follow Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa podcast through your favourite podcast app and listen to the latest insights from our guest thought leaders.
Recommended Reading:
1. The Case for Reparations, The Atlantic (2014). By Ta-Nehisi Coates
2. Britain’s Slavery Debt: Reparations Now! (Oxford University Press, April 25, 2024). By The Revd Dr. Michael Banner.
3. Black and British: A Short Essential History (Macmillan Children’s Books, 2020). By David Olusoga