TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19: American author Tom DeWolf, a distant descendent of notorious slave trader Captain James DeWolf, will facilitate a “coming to the table” dialogue about the legacy of slavery and reconciliation tomorrow (Wednesday, October 20) at 7 p.m. in the Hamilton Cathedral Hall.

Visiting the Island this week as a guest of Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda (CURB), Mr. DeWolf described the trip so far as “a whirlwind ... the feedback I’ve received has been limited, but what I do believe is that the broad themes are universal”.

He said he wants tomorrow’s open table discussion to bring people together for “dialogue and conversations with each other. I want it to be interactive, but people can feel free to just listen to the talk”.

Mr. DeWolf’s book ‘Inheriting the Trade’ describes confronting the dark roots of family history: a United States Senator from Rhode Island, merchant and slave trader, Captain James DeWolf died in 1837 the second-wealthiest men in the United States. A documentary, ‘Traces of the Trade’ by Mr. DeWolf’s cousin Katrina Browne, has aired locally this month on CITV Channel 2.

Speaking at today's Hamilton Rotary Club, Mr. DeWolf said talk was the key in enabling blacks and whites to deal with the aftermath of slavery.

More on this in tomorrow's Royal Gazette