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The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors 

The Lasting Impact of Racism

The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors 

What: One of the great livery companies of the City of London, involved in trade and commerce. 

When: Prominent between 1600 and 1700. 

Details: The Merchant Taylors' Company was heavily involved in the transatlantic trade, including the trade of enslaved Africans. The company financed voyages and trading ventures that included the acquisition and transport of enslaved people. They played a significant role in the economic systems that depended on slavery. 

Why and How It Was Racist: The company's involvement in the slave trade was driven by economic interests that disregarded the humanity of Black individuals. By participating in and profiting from the transatlantic slave trade, the Merchant Taylors' Company helped sustain and legitimize the racial hierarchies that underpinned slavery. 

Sources: 
Websites:
Historic Sources of Funding Review Group. (2020, September 20). https://www.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/600794/Historic-Sources-of-Funding-Report.pdf

Merchant Taylors: One of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London. Merchant Taylors’ Company. (n.d.). https://www.merchant-taylors.co.uk/


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