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A tale of two biographies? Sir Hans Sloane, founder of the British Museum, interior collector and slave owner
Here is the rather partial biography from RTE / EPIC: all discoveries, collections and hot chocolate https://www.rte.ie/culture/2020/0825/1161132-5-famous-irish-people-in-history-every-child-should-know-about/
Here is the rather partial biography from RTE / EPIC: all discoveries, collections and hot chocolate https://www.rte.ie/culture/2020/0825/1161132-5-famous-irish-people-in-history-every-child-should-know-about/
Here is the British Museum’s rather more nuanced acknowledgement of where Sloane got his wealth and collections from - slave plantations and the exploitation of enslaved people in the Caribbean https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/sir-hans-sloane
In August 2020 the British Museum recontextualised his statue to place it within its historical context of colonialism.
The director stated: ‘Healing in knowledge’, perhaps overstating the long overdue move, but at least acknowledging. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/aug/25/british-museum-removes-founder-hans-sloane-statue-over-slavery-links
The director stated: ‘Healing in knowledge’, perhaps overstating the long overdue move, but at least acknowledging. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/aug/25/british-museum-removes-founder-hans-sloane-statue-over-slavery-links
In Ireland we need to get better at acknowledging our complicate role in the British Empire as often colonized but sometimes colonizer.
To acknowledge the privilege of whiteness that allowed many to transgress any subjugation to actually benefit from colonialism.
To acknowledge the privilege of whiteness that allowed many to transgress any subjugation to actually benefit from colonialism.
