Knowledge Centre for the History of Slavery and its legacy

The Knowledge Centre for the History of Slavery in Zeeland aspires to become the leading expertise centre in the Netherlands, not only in the field of slavery history but also its ongoing legacy. Our aim is to promote remembrance and to keep the attention for the history of slavery alive. We will achieve this by developing, bringing together, and sharing knowledge about slavery and its legacy. In addition, we want to encourage the celebration of the abolition of slavery.

In Zeeland, there has been attention to the history of slavery for many years. It is an essential part of our history. Merchants and shipowners from Zeeland played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade, especially through the Middelburgse Commercie Compagnie (MCC). In the 18th century, dozens of slave ships departed from Middelburg to West Africa and the Caribbean. The profits from the slave trade and plantations contributed to the prosperity of the towns in Zeeland. At the same time, this history caused immense human suffering, the consequences of which are still felt today.