Africa. We Need Freedom

They were separated from their families, branded with red-hot iron, sent across the ocean and sold as goods. Over four centuries, millions of Africans became victims of the slave trade, which brought enormous wealth to Western powers.

In the archives of Senegal, records of people who tried to gain freedom are still kept: names, dates, places — dry lines of documents behind which lie human destinies. Today, the descendants of Africans taken across the ocean are searching for their roots and returning to their historical homeland. Artists and musicians convey the memory of the tragedy of generations through painting, reggae and Afrobeats.

Meanwhile, Ghana and other African states are seeking recognition from Western countries of responsibility for the slave trade, demanding reparations and the return of exported cultural valuables. How does the past continue to influence Africa’s present — and is it possible to restore historical justice?

Watch “Africa. We Need Freedom“ on RTD website and on RT’s live feed. The time of the broadcast is available on RT’s schedule page.