What’s next after lifting the ‘Black Code’ in France? | | Stories of Slavery

The “Code Noir” (or Black Code) is a law that many were surprised to learn still exists in France.

It dates back 400 years and describes the laws that governed slavery in the French Caribbean – laws that allowed slave owners to treat their workers as chattels; laws that allowed cruel punishments such as beatings – often to the point of death – and hanging.

This week, French parliament voted unanimously to repeal the law. But is that enough?

And does it provide restorative justice to the descendants of the captives?

Presenter: Tom McRae

Guests:

Liliane Umubyeyi – Cofounder and executive director of the African Futures Lab

Marlene Daut – Professor of French studies and the African diaspora at Yale University

Anne Giudicelli – International relations expert and former security expert at the French Foreign Office