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The ties between Scotland and chattel slavery can be seen throughout Scottish society and our built environment. Whether this in the Merchant City of Glasgow or the New Town of Edinburgh, many of Scotland’s cities benefited from wealth generated by the chattel slavery. Sir Geoff Palmer will lead a talk that explores some of these ties, their legacy and how they continue to shape Scottish society. 

Professor Emeritus Sir Geoff Palmer OBE is an Honorary Freeman of Midlothian, Scotland, gained an OBE in 2003 and was Knighted in 2014 for his contributions to science, charity and human rights. He maintains charitable links with Jamaica. Professor Palmer has been part of the Windrush Campaign. He is currently the Chancellor of Heriot Watt University. Sir Geoff Palmer is Chair of the independent Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review which Museums & Galleries Edinburgh are supporting and committed to through our own anti-racist action plan.

This lecture will now be run online on Microsoft Teams; booking is essential as attendees will be sent joining instructions a day or so beforehand. If you do not hear from us an hour or so before, please check your junk or spam folder. If joining us on a mobile device (tablet or smartphone) you will need to install Teams onto your device beforehand, and also Microsoft Powerpoint if your device is older so that you can view any slides. The apps can be downloaded free from the App Store or the Google Play Store.

Scotland’s Slavery Legacies