Countries Outlawing Slavery

Factual Questions
1

I have often wondered what countries outlawed slavery before and after the USA. Does anyone have a list, or know a web site with such a list? Also if there is a similar list for segrigation based on race that would also be of interest.

When did countries outlawed slavery?

Thanks, Bippy

2

The UK, for one.

3

France as well.

In fact, IIRC, it was the fact that the South still supported slavery that kept the UK and France from openly supporting them and recognizing them during the Civil War.

Zev Steinhardt

4

In 1807

5

Brazil was the last “western” country to make slavery illegal in 1888.

Here are some others:

1869 - Portugal abolishes slavery

1886 - slavery abolished in Cuba

1888 - slavery abolished in Brazil

1873 - slave market in Zanzibar closed

1936 - slavery made illegal in Northern Nigeria

This site provides some more details:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/9generic3.shtml

6

Amnesty International might have something like this at their website.

7

Check out Free the Slaves for more info.

8

Thanks for the links. Does anyone have dates for anti-segrigation laws for different countries?

Do any countries still have legal segrigation, or was South Africa the last?

9

Not quite. The 1807 Act abolished the slave trade, but not slave ownership in the various British colonies. Total abolition throughout the Empire had to wait until another statute, enacted in 1834, according to the BBC link provided by Shagnasty.

Self-governing colonies throughout the Empire were able to abolish slavery within their own boundaries prior to this date. For example, Upper Canada passed a gradual emancipation act in the 1790s which ended slavery with the passage of time.

10

This one, too:

11

Mid 1800s are also when Russia freed the serfs and some Eastern European countries freed their Roma populations.

12

[quote]
Do any countries still have legal segrigation, or was South Africa the last?

[quote]

You’ll need to define legal segregation. For example in Australia there are still state-funded schools, hospitals and law firms that it is ilegal to use if you are of the wrong race.

Of course these days it is the caucasians who are breaking the law by using these institutions, and it is viewed as a form of affirmative action. However you’d be hard pressed to define ‘legal segragation’ in any manner that would exclude such practices. It’s just the intentions of those laws that have changed.