A Cambridge College Is Creating A Fellowship To Review Its Links To Slavery

Cambridge University will examine its links to colonial era slave trade.

Trinity College Cambridge have announced plans to examine in which ways the college may have benefited from coerced labour and the slave trade during the colonial era.

By appointing the new Legacies of Slavery Research and Teaching Fellow in October for a four-year post, any ways in which the college gained from slavery will be unearthed. These ways could include fees and bequests from students and alumni, or from investments by the college. Any contributions by members of Trinity who opposed slavery will also be explored.

Commenting on the decision, Isuri Ratnayake, Ethnic and Inclusion Officer of Trinity’s Graduate Society said: “Only by facing our past can we pave the way towards a more equitable future, where all members of our community can thrive free from the shadows of oppression and discrimination.”

The research comes after the University of Cambridge’s 2019 – 2022 Legacies of Slavery Inquiry, which led to recommendations for the founding of a research centre at the university, with funding for new partnerships across Africa and the Caribbean, including Cambridge Caribbean Scholarships.

Trinity has also pledged a donation of £1 million over five years to the Cambridge Caribbean Scholarships, which will allow three Master’s students per year to study at the university. On top of that, two PhD studentships will be available during the five years. The scholarships will begin in October 2023.

Vice Master of Trinity, Professor Louise Merrett, expressed that these scholarships reflect the university’s commitment to enabling the brightest students around the world the chance to apply to Cambridge and know that they’ll be fully supported in their studies.

Find out more by checking out the Trinity College Cambridge website.