France votes to end slavery-era law which classed people as property
The vote to repeal ‘Code Noir’, which saw slaves beaten, raped and killed in France’s colonies, comes almost 180 years after its abolition of slavery
For almost 180 years after France abolished slavery, the “Code Noir” (Black Code) allowing enslaved humans to be treated as property and worked, beaten, sold, raped or killed, remained in place.
On Thursday, the country’s bitterly divided national assembly voted unanimously to repeal it, in a rare show of political unity.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/28/france-votes-code-noir-slavery-law-colonialism">Continue reading...- France’s parliament votes to repeal slavery-era Black Code, with tears and history in the chamber Boston Globe —
- What to know about Code Noir, a shocking French law that oversaw the slavery of 1.4 million Africans ABC News —
- What is France's 'Black Code' that MPs finally voted to repeal? Le Monde —
- French parliament votes to repeal slavery-era Black Code PBS —
- French parliament inches towards symbolic repeal of 'Code noir' slavery legislation Euronews —