Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Letters

Why Britain needs a slavery memorial

Sandra Mason, the president of Barbados, with Prince Charles in Bridgetown, Barbados, on 30 November 2021.
Sandra Mason, the president of Barbados, with Prince Charles in Bridgetown, Barbados, on 30 November 2021. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

Your editorial on Barbados again recognises the true horror of slavery (3 December). But Britain can only move on when the vast majority of its inhabitants share this recognition. In Berlin, the people of Germany are continually reminded of the horrors committed in their name by the Holocaust memorial, a truly heartbreaking experience for this Englishman. Britain needs a similar memorial to the victims of slavery. I don’t support the wholesale removal of images from the past, but I do support statues and the like being properly labelled in a balanced way. A slavery memorial would be a permanent sign of regret and a tangible tribute to those on whom much of our prosperity is based.
Steve Barrass
Ticehurst, East Sussex

Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.