On 23 May 2023, the national day of remembrance for the victims of colonial slavery, CERAG and the National and University Library (BNU) of Strasbourg organised an official commemoration to mark the 175th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in France (1848).

⚖️ A fictional defence speech for Solitude

The highlight of the evening was when Mr Grégory Thuan Dit Dieudonné delivered a fictional defence speech on behalf of Solitude, a figure of the resistance in Guadeloupe against Napoleon’s re-establishment of slavery in 1802. Sentenced to death, she was executed after giving birth to her child.
To plead her case, more than two centuries later, is to give her back what she was denied: a defence.

▶️ Watch the closing speech again

Fictional defence speech for Solitude, delivered by Grégory Thuan Dit Dieudonné on 23 May 2023 at the BNU in Strasbourg.

 

🕊️ An evening of remembrance

  • Official speeches
  • Readings on slavery by children
  • Musical performance on drums
  • Discussions with the audience

With the support of the City and Eurométropole of Strasbourg and the Foundation for the Memory of Slavery.

Why this is essential

The law was used to organise slavery, before being used to abolish it. Remembering serves as a reminder that human rights are never guaranteed, and that they must always be defended.