You can see many features in Edinburgh’s public spaces that show a lot of people who lived and worked here in the past supported and benefitted from slavery and colonialism. Some people also worked hard to stop this activity and believed it was wrong. By colonialism, we mean the practice of wealthy or powerful countries taking control over other countries.
In 2020 Edinburgh agreed to address historic racial injustice and stem modern day discrimination. An independent review was carried out of the things in our city which link to slavery and colonialism. This included features like statues, buildings and street names named after Edinburgh people linked to slavery or colonialism. The findings and recommendations of the independent Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review were endorsed by councillors on 30 August 2022. You can watch the discussion and read the report in full. The report had ten recommendations including setting up an independent legacy stakeholder group. This group is now set up.
