First edition of Alumni Walks explores traces of Dutch slavery history
New initiative for members of the UvA Alumni Association
Social value
The afternoon begins at Zeeburgerdijk in Amsterdam, at the recently renovated building of The Black Archives. Here, the archive's staff guide the AUV members through the origin story of The Black Archives and elaborate on the social value of the place. This narrative leaves a strong impression on the participants and underscores once more that the impact of Dutch slavery history must remain on the agenda. AUV Chair Caroline van Alphen emphasizes, "I cannot stress enough how important it is for us as an association to pay attention to these urgent contemporary issues."
Special archive
The archive now houses more than 10,000 books. They all revolve around aspects of history that are not sufficiently addressed in education at schools and universities, such as racism, slavery, (de)colonization, gender and feminism, social sciences, Suriname, the former Dutch Antilles, South America, Africa, and more.
Walking tour through Amsterdam-East
After the introduction in the archive, Vesla Braafheid, guide at Bims Tour Guides, leads the group around the neighborhood. Participants quickly realize that the colonial past is reflected in everything here, down to the street names: Javastraat, Balistraat, Lombokstraat... Braafheid explains, "The street names were a way for the Netherlands to communicate that these colonies were theirs. It's important to acknowledge that we still see this in the streetscape today."
Surinamese treats
During the walk, the participants take several breaks taken to taste traditional Surinamese snacks at eateries in the area. The AUV members not only hear and see the impact that Dutch slavery history has had on this neighborhood, but they even get to taste it. Thus, the afternoon becomes a valuable experience for all those present.
The Black Archives is a historical archive and cultural center where people can engage in inspiring conversations, substantive activities, and access books from black and other perspectives that are often overlooked elsewhere. The Black Archives is supported by the organization New Urban Collective. The archive consists of various book collections, archives, and artifacts that are the legacy of black writers and scholars.
The Amsterdam University Association (AUV) is the general alumni association of the UvA with over 8,000 members. The association provides lectures and other activities for alumni, among other things. Alumni Walks is a series of excursions and tours. During these, special locations are visited, and alumni delve deeper into social themes and initiatives.