Prominent New York Afro-Americans feel ignored and shunned by Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Máxima, who are on an official six day visit to the city. "Our past and our contribution to history are completely ignored. It is very disappointing", anthropologist Sherill D. Wilson said.
The Dutch royals are in New York to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Dutch and English in what is now New York harbor in 1609. The Prince and Princess are takin part in a flurry of festivities, and have spoken on several occassions of the great values of tolerance and freedom the Dutch brought to American shores.
"But not a word about the slaves they brought too", historian Christopher Moore says. Harlem councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito is demanding an apology from the Dutch. "As far as I know no-one from our community was invited to the celebrations", she claims. "People are offended and rightfully so", Mrs Mark-Viverito says.
Slavery and slaves are not mentioned once in all the documents relating to the NY400 festivities. Prince Willem-Alexander has not mentioned the contribution of Africans to the build up of the Dutch trading posts on what is now the Hudson River in New York. Slaves were brought to the colony starting in 1626. "For us there is no reason to celebrate", Mr. Moore says.
Professor Adjoa Aiyetoro is not surprised by the Dutch silence. "Our history has been ignored for so long in this country. It feels as if we never contributed, as if we are not here." © GPD Netherlands Press Association, Frank Hendrickx
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