The province of Utrecht played a major role in that slavery past. In 1720 the Provincial Utrecht Ge-otroyeerde Compagnie was founded. That organization was directly involved in transatlantic slavery by buying a coffee plantation in Suriname, which would be named Utrecht. In addition, the province invested heavily in slave ships. “Between 1738 and 1764, these ships from Utrecht transported 1094 men, women and children who had been captured and enslaved from Africa to the Americas,” says Oosten in his speech. 121 slaves worked on the Utrecht plantation.
Province apologizes for slavery past: ‘More awareness is needed’
