A newly uncovered centuries-old insurance document linked to Lloyd’s of London reveals the stark contradiction of invoking divine authority while underwriting the transatlantic slave trade. The records, used in recent research-funded projects, lay bare the financial mechanisms that facilitated the trafficking of enslaved Africans, exposing a dark chapter in the institution’s history. The discovery raises ethical questions about how historical ties to slavery continue to influence modern financial practices. The full investigation delves into the broader implications of these findings for heritage, accountability, and institutional legacy.
David Önaç uses insurance documents for work funded by Lloyd’s of London after research uncovered its slavery links A centuries-old insurance document detailing the trafficking of enslaved Africans began with the words: “In the name of God, Amen.”For Dr Errol Francis, the artistic director and chief executive of the arts and heritage charity Culture&, the contradiction was striking: an invocation of God in a document that treated human beings as cargo. Continue reading...
