Guardian Owner Unveils Next Phase of Restorative Justice Plan for Enslavement Legacies
The owner of the Guardian, the Scott Trust, has heralded the next phase of its ambitious 10-year restorative justice plan, designed to address and atone for the news organisation's historical links to transatlantic enslavement. This initiative, known as the Legacies of Enslavement programme, was launched in 2023 to acknowledge that the founder of the Manchester Guardian and his backers profited from the enslavement of African people in Jamaica and the United States.
Significant Progress and Future Commitments
Three years into the programme, the Scott Trust reports significant progress, achieved through hundreds of community engagement meetings, expanded Guardian coverage of the global Black diaspora, and schemes aimed at improving media diversity. The newly released plan for 2026-2030 promises to build on these initial commitments, setting out a clear path for continuing the pursuit of restorative justice and meaningful repair.
Over the next four years, the Scott Trust will invest several million UK pounds to support priorities identified by descendant communities in Hanover, Jamaica, and the US Sea Islands. This funding will be allocated through partnerships with community-led organisations and institutions, focusing on key areas such as:
- Improving access to quality education and skills training
- Supporting community land and property rights
- Funding economic and climate justice initiatives
- Convening community conversations centred on repair and healing
- Preserving cultural heritage and honouring the memories of those who were enslaved
Programme Leadership and Community Engagement
To further this work, Ahmed Reid and Angel Parson have been appointed as programme managers for Jamaica and the US Sea Islands, respectively. They join Keisha Thompson, the programme manager for Manchester, who was appointed in September 2024. The team, led by Ebony Riddell Bamber, has conducted open town hall meetings in the US Sea Islands and Jamaica, engaging with community members, reparations experts, civil society, and institutions.
In Jamaica, the programme is assisting the Hanover community with reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Melissa. In Manchester, where the Guardian was founded, work is underway on a landmark exhibition exploring the city's relationship with cotton and enslavement, set to launch in early 2027 in partnership with the Science and Industry Museum. Additionally, grassroots groups are being convened to support broader initiatives.
Expanding Journalism and Awareness Efforts
The next phase includes sharing new academic research, raising awareness of the UK's role in transatlantic enslavement and its enduring impact, and increasing accountability through the Guardian's journalism and Cotton Capital series. This builds on past progress, which has seen the appointment of eight new correspondents covering regions such as east and west Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, along with expansions of the Guardian's race, health, and community affairs teams in the UK and US.
Other achievements include the launch of the Long Wave, a weekly newsletter on Black life and culture worldwide, and the expansion of bursary and traineeship schemes in the UK, US, and Australia to enhance media diversity. The Guardian is also relaunching the Cotton Capital newsletter, which will explore legacies of enslavement and reparative justice globally each month.
Leadership Statements and Upcoming Events
Ole Jacob Sunde, chair of the Scott Trust, stated: "The Scott Trust is deeply committed to this programme of restorative justice. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the journey so far. We are grateful to the descendant communities in Jamaica, the US, and UK who have taken the time to share with us how we can make a meaningful impact in this next phase. I look forward to the work ahead."
Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of Guardian News & Media, added: "This work has widened the lens of the Guardian's journalism, diversified our team around the world, and amplified stories from underrepresented communities and regions. As we enter this next phase, our focus is on making changes that are meaningful, significant, and long-lasting to the lives of those affected."
The Guardian will host a special free live event on Thursday, 2 July at 7.30pm (BST), exploring the programme's progress and challenges. This event will feature insights from reparatory justice experts and practitioners on how a media organisation can atone for a history linked to transatlantic enslavement.
