The Trocadéro Memorial project, designed to honor the victims of colonial slavery and to carve into stone the names of those who gained their freedom in 1848, has reached a decisive milestone. Funding has now been secured, and construction will begin in early 2026. The official dedication is scheduled for May 23, 2027, a symbolic date marking the national commemoration of the abolition of slavery.
This unique monument will bear the first and last names of 215,000 men, women, and children who were freed in 1848 in Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, and Réunion. Their names, engraved in stone, fulfill an essential duty of remembrance: to restore an identity, acknowledge a history, and highlight the humanity of those who were reduced to servitude.
The official mockup of the project is available online at: https://memorial-trocadero.org/. You can also search for the names of your ancestors there. If a name is missing or incorrect, there is an appeal process in place to add or correct the name database before the final engraving.
plays a central role in this effort to preserve memory. Working alongside the May 23, 1998 March Committee (CM98), it has reconstructed the missing individual records in several municipalities and provided the complete lists of names from Martinique intended for the Memorial. AMARHISFA also serves on the Steering Committee and contributes to every stage of the project, from its design to its implementation.
This memorial, located in the heart of Paris, will serve as a space for education, recognition, and symbolic justice. It will serve as a reminder that these 215,000 newly freed people are an integral part of our national history, and that their legacy continues to inspire today’s struggles for dignity and equality.
