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52 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MAY 2026 e United Nations Addresses the Transatlantic Slave Trade Since 1945, the United Nations (UN)- comprised of 193 Member States- has served as a global forum for cooperation, peace, and the protection of human rights. On Wednesday, March 25, the UN General Assembly took a profound step toward addressing historical injustices. By an overwhelming majority, it passed a resolution declaring the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the chattel enslavement of Africans as history's "gravest crime against humanity." Introduced by Ghana, this measure represents a significant shift in acknowledging deep-seated historical wounds and their lingering effects. While 123 member states voted in favor of the measure, three nations- the United States, Israel, and Argentina- voted against it, citing concerns over mandatory reparations. Furthermore, 52 member states, including the United Kingdom and most of the European Union, abstained from voting. These nations contended that modern institutions are not liable for historical actions. These arguments fail to account for the direct, unbroken line between historical exploitation and modern prosperity. European wealth continues to benefit from the extraction of gold, diamonds, and oil from African nations without compensation. Simultaneously, the United States faces criticism for policies normalizing the erasure of Black history. Together, these actions represent a dual effort to benefit from Black labor and resources while silencing the history of how that wealth was originally built. This resolution institutes a framework for reconciliation. It recommends member states issue formal apologies for these atrocities and requests contributions to a reparations fund. It calls for the return of cultural artifacts and national archives to their countries of origin. This demand is supported by research indicating that over 90 percent of Africa's cultural relics: metal castings, human remains, carvings, artifacts and artwork are housed in European and American museums. Ultimately, this resolution seeks global recognition of the slave trade as history's most inhumane and enduring injustice. It provides a necessary framework for healing the systemic fractures that persist today. The next meeting will be on Monday, May 4 at 6 pm at The Courts. For information, contact Club President, EJ Doucette at earl@theinsuranceprofessor.net. ~ Regina omas African American Cultural Club Plaques from part of the Benin bronzes are displayed at the British Museum in London African artifacts in the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York ree large royal statues from the Kingdom of Dahomey, located in modern-day Benin, exhibited at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris

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