In honor of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, a number of New York City municipal buildings were lit up yellow last night at sunset.
This day was designated by UNESCO in 1998 to commemorate the start of a 1791 uprising among the enslaved people of Haiti that would lead to the Haitian Revolution and the abolition of the slave trade.
Mayor Adams said that he wanted to remember the horrors of the slave trade, recognize those who helped end it, and demonstrate the city’s commitment to the values of liberty, dignity, and equality.
“Two-hundred-thirty-two years ago, the enslaved people of Haiti rose up to assert their freedom. We remember the horrors of the slave trade, recognize those who helped abolish it, and demonstrate our continued commitment to the values of liberty, dignity, and equality,” he said in his statement to the City. “These values have guided people for hundreds of years from Haiti to New York City, and they continue to guide us today.”
In addition to City Hall, the buildings that were lit up yellow included Bronx Borough Hall, the David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building, and Staten Island Borough Hall.
Two-hundred-thirty-two years ago, the enslaved people of Haiti rose up to assert their freedom.
Tonight, we remember the horrors of the slave trade, recognize those who helped abolish it, and demonstrate our continued commitment to the values of liberty, dignity, and equality. pic.twitter.com/dzB2wWskYq
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) August 24, 2023
