Breaking the Chains – A Walking Tour Exploring Dundee’s Links to Slavery takes participants through the city centre to uncover connections between Dundee, the transatlantic slave trade and the history of American slavery.
Led by Local History librarian Erin Farley and University of Dundee museum curator Matthew Jarron, the guided walk accompanies an illustrated map highlighting locations associated with slavery and abolition.
Dundee’s industrial and commercial development did not take place in isolation from global events. Trade, commodities and wealth generated through economies connected with slavery influenced towns and cities across Britain, including communities far from the major slave-trading ports.
The tour examines some of those connections while introducing locations where previously enslaved people later spoke publicly about their experiences.
Hearing those stories in the places where events took place can transform familiar streets and buildings, revealing histories that may otherwise remain hidden within the modern city.
The walk also provides an opportunity to consider the role played by campaigners, abolitionists and formerly enslaved people in challenging slavery and changing public opinion.
Taking place during Black History Month 2026, Breaking the Chains offers a valuable opportunity to explore Dundee’s history from a different perspective and understand how local history connects with global histories of slavery, resistance and emancipation.
More Dundee Listings MORE
Black Lives in Scotland – Telling Our Stories
Black Lives in Scotland – Telling Our Stories explores the lived experiences of Black people growing up, living…
Northern Live – Do I Love You?
Dundee’s Caird Hall becomes a Northern Soul dancefloor as Northern Live – Do I Love You? celebrates the…
Breaking the Chains – A Walking Tour Exploring Dundee’s Links to Slavery
Breaking the Chains – A Walking Tour Exploring Dundee’s Links to Slavery takes participants through the city centre…