Legacies of Slavery: Churches, Communities and Building a Fairer Future

Dr Jim MacPherson is leading a collaborative project with the Church of Scotland to explore ways in which congregations, schools and communities across the country can acknowledge historic links with trans-Atlantic slavery. Building on the Legacies of Slavery in Scotland project with Historylinks in Dornoch, we aim to collaborate and help guide the Church of Scotland in developing a pilot project with the view to working with several congregations and schools in the Highlands. 

Through this project, we hope that local congregations will acknowledge, understand and appreciate their own local legacy in relation to chattel slavery, reflect on the historic implications and use this to creatively express a vision for a fairer and more just future.

A series of events will take place in spring 2025, featuring:

• A workshop led by Dr MacPherson (UHI), focussing on Aberlour and Slavery
• A workshop led by Lisa Williams (Edinburgh Caribbean Association), focussing on continuing connections between the Caribbean and Scotland. 
• A series of textile workshops led by Jo Watson (Làmhan), exploring sensitive histories through tactile, participatory means. 

Read more about the project

• Legacies of Slavery: Reflecting on a Complex Heritage in Rural Scotland