International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
Each August 23, UNESCO marks the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. The date recalls the night of August 22–23, 1791, when an uprising in Saint-Domingue helped set Haiti’s revolution in motion.
About International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
History & origins
UNESCO designated August 23 as this international day in 1998 to remember the transatlantic slave trade and the struggle to abolish it. The date is tied to the uprising that began in Saint-Domingue on the night of August 22–23, 1791, a turning point that led to the Haitian Revolution and the creation of Haiti as an independent state.
Why it matters
The day asks the public to remember enslaved people as agents of their own freedom, not only as victims. It also keeps attention on the long aftereffects of the trade in culture, law, and memory.
How to celebrate
Read about the 1791 uprising and the Haitian Revolution, visit a museum or memorial, and support education that treats the slave trade as lived history, not a footnote.
Facts
- UNESCO proclaimed the day in 1998
- The date points to the 1791 uprising in Saint-Domingue (Haiti)
- It is a remembrance day, not a U.S. federal holiday
Upcoming dates
- Sunday, August 23, 2026
- Monday, August 23, 2027
- Wednesday, August 23, 2028
- Thursday, August 23, 2029
- Friday, August 23, 2030
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition in 2026?
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition in 2026 falls on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
Who created it?
UNESCO proclaimed the international day in 1998.
Why August 23?
It commemorates the 1791 uprising in Saint-Domingue that helped launch the Haitian Revolution.
Is it a public holiday in the United States?
No. It is an international remembrance date, not a U.S. federal holiday.
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