The exhibition was prepared to mark the bi-centenary of the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire ran in a number of venues throughout Northern Ireland. Curated by PRONI and launched in November 2007 the exhibition drew on documents from PRONI’s archives, artefacts from the Ulster Museum and contemporary books and pamphlets from the Linen Hall Library and elsewhere.
Whilst there was little actual direct involvement in the trade (mainly because economic laws forbade Irish ships to trade directly with the American colonies), a number of Irish merchants grew rich as a result of being involved in support industries, such as sugar and linen.
The exhibition at the Folk Park finished in March 2007.