National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Colonial Slavery in France Date in the current year: May 23, 2026

Although slavery was abolished in France in the early 14th century, the French colonial empire practiced slavery in its overseas territories from the 17th century onward because enslaved labor was crucial for large-scale agricultural production and the inexpensive extraction of raw materials. Every year, French traders transported thousands of enslaved Africans to the French West Indies to work on plantations.

The first abolition of institutionalized slavery in the French colonial empire occurred during the French Revolution. On February 4, 1794, the National Convention of the French First Republic, under the leadership of Maximilien Robespierre, adopted the corresponding decree. However, the abolition lasted less than a decade. Upon coming to power, Napoleon reinstated slavery in all French colonies that France had regained control over on May 20, 1802.

During Napoleon’s second period in power, known as the Hundred Days, he banned the slave trade in the colonies but did not outlaw slavery. Three years after Napoleon’s fall, King Louis XVIII upheld the abolition of the slave trade. Nevertheless, it continued to be practiced clandestinely.

Slavery was abolished in the French colonies for the second and final time by a decree signed on April 27, 1848, by the Provisional Government of the Second Republic. However, the decree’s implementation took time. Martinique was the first French colony to implement the decree on May 22, 1848, followed by the others. Because of this, French overseas departments and territories celebrate Abolition Day on different dates.

The National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Colonial Slavery is one of two French remembrance days that honor the victims of colonial slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. The other is the National Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Slavery and Their Abolition, celebrated annually on May 10.

The National Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Slavery and Their Abolition was established in 2006 to commemorate the adoption of the Taubira Law, which officially recognized the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity. Two years later, Prime Minister François Fillon declared May 23 the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Colonial Slavery.

Overseas organizations had already observed this date for a decade to commemorate the silent march that took place on May 23, 1998 in support of the Taubira Law and in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the French colonies. In 2017, the designation of May 23 as the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Colonial Slavery was officially reinforced by the Overseas Real Equality Act (Loi sur l’égalité réelle outre-mer).