Slavery day

last updated 8 January 2015

Paris

France this week declared May 10 to be a national day of commemoration for all victims of slavery. The holiday marks the day in 2001 when the French passed a law recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity. President Jacques Chirac said France’s firm stand against modern slavery, which persists in parts of Africa, is a reflection of the country’s “glory and strength.” But French historians protested, saying that while they too oppose slavery, they are offended by the French government’s habit of making broad pronouncements on historical matters. In 2001, for instance, the government passed a law officially recognizing the Ottoman massacre of Armenians during World War I as “genocide.” The historians called for a repeal of laws that impose “a specific view of history.”