279Remembering Enslavement in French Port Cities in the Twenty-First Century

Le Havre's efforts to remember the trade and slavery in its port city are primarily symbolic, with limited physical memorial spaces. Research conducted in November 2022 found that while a plaque commemorating the trade and slavery was installed at the harbor entrance in 2009, there were few other tangible memorials to examine. The city's remembrance activities are centered around annual events on May 10, declared a national day of remembrance for the trade, slavery, and its abolition in 2006. These findings highlight the challenges of materializing historical memory in public spaces, particularly in contexts where physical remnants are scarce or absent.

Nitz, J. (2025). 279Remembering Enslavement in French Port Cities in the Twenty-First Century. Competing Memories of Enslavement, Emancipation and Indentureship, 279–302. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783112224939-013