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International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition

Acknowledging Our History

August 23, 2023, marks the 25th year that UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has observed the  International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. It is an important day for dozens of countries and millions of people around the world, and it is an important step in the reckoning and understanding of the history and impacts of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 

The day was first celebrated in Haiti back in 1998 and was inspired by an uprising on the night of August 22, 1791, on the island of Saint-Domingue. What later would be referred to as the Haitian Revolution began when self-liberated slaves of primarily African descent revolted against French colonial rule on the island. The insurrection would go on to inspire revolutions throughout the rest of the Americas and the Caribbean and helped lead to a global reckoning over the concept and morality of slavery.

In 1804, 13 years later, Haiti became an independent state that was both free from slavery and one that was ruled by former captives. To this day, it is widely considered the most successful slave uprising in history and is the only one to result in the formation of a new country. 

If you are interested in learning more about the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impacts on people, industry, and geography, there are several well-researched and thorough articles by our HubPages contributors. Take a look at M Y Venn's piece,  The Processes & Conditions of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, or A Fonté's piece,  The 10 Most Important Moments in History, to learn more about the Haitian Revolution and slave trade.

Rupert Taylor's piece,  Modern Slave Markets, makes for another interesting read as it highlights the ways in which slavery is still happening today and, for this reason, why it is important to acknowledge UNESCO's International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. 

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Where to Locate Reliable Sources

Backing up articles with fact-checked, reliable sources is an extremely important aspect of being a HubPages author (or author anywhere, really!). At a time when articles and information can be shared with a tap of the finger, it's easy to come across a lot of information and just assume what you are reading is true. No one wants to share incorrect information, right? Well, even if people don't mean to, they can make mistakes. Friends might share articles and statistics with you with good intentions, even if the information turns out to be wrong. 

When publishing on HubPages, it is very important you know where you can find reliable, fact-checked information. Here are some quick tips for determining the reliability of the source. 

• Double-check that there is a date of publication and that the author's name is displayed and not discreetly tucked at the bottom of the page or altogether nonexistent.
• Make sure the piece is free from glaring grammatical and spelling errors.
• Generally, be skeptical; the more aware you are of bad sources, the more likely you'll avoid them. 

Though Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, is fact-checked, it is best not to use that as your primary source. Instead, scroll to the bottom and locate the sources cited. Those have a higher level of authority than Wikipedia itself, which can be written by anyone who makes an account. That said, Wikimedia Commons is a good place to find media, and they have information below the images where you can double-check the copyright and source before using it. 

Other places to look for reliable sources include digital libraries like JSTOR or the bibliographic database Google Scholar. The editing team also recommends sites like Healthline or NPR Science, and sites that end with .org (which are usually NGOs, charity organizations, and education-based platforms). 

The more factually sound and sourced your pieces are, the healthier they appear to Google, and the more likely they will bring in viewers! Thanks for all your fact-checking work!

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