World-Portraits ‘deep dives’ into Zeeland’s Slavery Past!

Robert Verkerk and Bas van Beek, both affiliated with World-Portraits, launched a special project in April 2026. We are going to ‘deep dive’ into the extensive history of Zeeland’s slavery with a group of 13 young people from Zeeland.

Commissioned by the International Knowledge Centre on Slavery in Middelburg, 13 young people will explore 13 topics in 13 shortcasts, 13 TikTok videos, and beautiful photos. The 13 topics provide a factual account of how this trade took place and what specific role the province of Zeeland played in it. In doing so, we draw upon, among other things, the completely preserved archive of the Middelburg Commercial Company, which was active in the trade of enslaved people between 1600 and 1800. 113 voyages have been quantitatively and meticulously recorded and thus preserved in the archives of the Zeeland Archives. How did dehumanization take place? How were the enslaved purchased? What was the journey like? How were the enslaved sold? We are going to hear it all from the young people. We will get to work in the coming months and keep you posted! Want to know more? Info@world-portraits.com