Tag Archive: Professor Derek Fraser


Von Johanna Renate Wöhlke

Professor Derek Fraser

Professor Derek Fraser

An Bord des Cunard Schiffes „Queen Elizabeth“ gab es auf einer Teilstrecke seiner Weltreise 2014 mehr zu erleben als Meer und Wellen, Sonne und Wind, Essen und Trinken, Lesen und Träumen, Tanz und Unterhaltung.

Zwischen New York und San Francisco – und der von allen Passagieren mit großer Spannung erwarteten Panama-Kanal-Passage, schenkten die Passagiere im jeweils voll besetzten Theater des Schiffes, dem „Royal Court Theatre“, einem Wissenschaftler ihre Aufmerksamkeit: Professor Derek Fraser. Derek Fraser war bis 2003 „Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Teesside“ in Middlesbrough in Nordost England.

Der Historiker hielt eine Serie von sieben Vorträgen unter dem Leitgedanken „Those who changed their worlds“, frei übersetzt „Von denen, die ihre Welt verändert haben“. In einem davon brachte Derek Fraser seinem Publikum ein bedrückendes Thema auf eindringliche Weise durch Fakten und Bilder nahe: die Entwicklung der Sklaverei und ihre Abschaffung im Britischen Empire, geführt und erstritten unter der Ägide von William Wilberforce. View full article »

Übernommen von www.dap-hamburg.de

Johanna Renate Wöhlke, President of “Die Auswärtige Presse e.V.”, February 2014:

“We take great pleasure in publishing an address posted by Professor Derek Fraser on the website of “Die Auswärtige Presse e.V. The subject is slavery, a particularly sad chapter in human history. In spite of its historic background, this subject is as topical as ever. Until today, our modern society is trying hard to fight this evil. We thank you very much, Professor Fraser, for giving us the permission to publish your lecture on our website.”

 by Professor Derek Fraser

 (A shortened version of a lecture given on board Queen Elizabeth as part of the Cunard Insights programme January 2014)

 

Am I not a man and a brother?

Am I not a man and a brother?

Slavery is as old as civilisation itself and many ancient Empires, including Egypt, Greece and Rome, were built on slave labour.  However, in the 17th and 18th centuries slavery took on a new more systematic form, in the wake of the voyages of exploration to and colonisation of the Americas by Europeans.  The fertile land of the New World generated a demand for labour which far exceeded the supply of both indigenous peoples and migrants.  Africa seemed to promise an unlimited supply of labour which the colonies needed and so the infamous triangular slave trade developed.  Ships from Europe would take manufactured goods, including basic armaments, to ports in West Africa.  There the products were offloaded and traded for African slaves, brought to the huge slave warehouses by unscrupulous traders, often Africans themselves.  The “middle passage” transported the slaves to North and South America in horrendous conditions.  Many suffered serious View full article »