A Historic Act of Reckoning: France’s First Family Apology for Slavery

Pierre Guillon de Prince, an 86-year-old descendant of French slave traders, made history in Nantes by becoming the first individual in France to issue a formal public apology for his family’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.

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This landmark gesture took place in a city that once served as France’s premier slave-trading port, marking a profound shift in how the nation confronts its colonial legacy.

The Weight of History

The Guillon de Prince family were prominent shipowners in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their legacy includes:

• The Scale: The family’s fleet transported an estimated 4,500 enslaved Africans across the Atlantic.
• The Profits: Beyond shipping, the family owned several plantations in the Caribbean, directly profiting from forced labor.
• The Silence: Like many families with colonial wealth, the specific origins of their fortune remained largely unacknowledged in public discourse for generations.

A Shared Platform

The apology was not a solitary act. Guillon de Prince stood alongside Dieudonné Boutrin, a descendant of enslaved people from Martinique. Together, they represent the association Coque Nomade-Fraternité, an organization dedicated to breaking the “omerta” (code of silence) surrounding French involvement in slavery.

The ceremony featured the unveiling of a symbolic 18-meter ship mast, designed to act as a “humanitarian beacon” and a permanent memorial to those who suffered under the trade.

Why This Matters Now

While France officially recognized slavery as a crime against humanity in 2001 (the Taubira Law), the state has been slow to move toward formal apologies or financial reparations. Guillon de Prince’s act is significant for several reasons:

1. Individual vs. State: It shifts the conversation from abstract historical guilt to personal accountability and moral responsibility.
2. A Call to Action: Guillon de Prince explicitly urged other families who built their wealth on the slave trade to come forward and acknowledge their history.
3. The Reparations Debate: By calling on the French government to consider material reparations, the event has reignited a fierce national debate about how to address the lasting economic disparities caused by the trade.

“Faced with the rise of racism in our society, I felt a responsibility not to let this past be erased.”

— Pierre Guillon de Prince

The Broader Context

Between the 15th and 19th centuries, France trafficked approximately 1.3 million people. While Nantes has made strides in memorialization—including the opening of the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery in 2012—this personal apology represents a new chapter in France’s long and complex journey toward reconciliation.