RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A commission attempting to tell the story of Richmond’s slave-trading past is welcoming a delegation from western Africa.
The 20 visitors due in the capital city Saturday are from Benin, which was part of the slave-trading triangle in the 18th century that also included London and Virginia.
The republic of Benin is one of three places where statues were erected as part of a global initiative for slavery reconciliation. The Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission will bring the Benin delegation to the city’s slave reconciliation statue in Shockoe Bottom, the center of the city’s once-thriving slave trade.
The Slave Trail Commission has identified key places in Richmond where the business of human trafficking occurred. It also envisions a slavery museum for the city.
The Benin delegation departs on Monday.
