Jesus College petitioned the Diocese of Ely to remove the monument to its 17th-century benefactor Tobias Russtat, whose bonds with slavery are universally accepted, and to exhibit it elsewhere on the college. They argued that his presence had a negative impact on the mission and ministry of the church. Speaking to the Guardian after losing the case, Sonita Alleyne, the ruler of Jesus College, said the decision was a profound moment for the Church of England, which has apologized for its own transatlantic slave trade. “It’s the first test for the church,” he said, “a church that had slaves in the 17th century.” It is a test that the church seems to have failed. “It’s a church that tells blacks: you have to get up, shut up, and pray under a monument to a slave trader,” Allen said. “It’s very, very disappointing. How could they come to this decision? “ Alleyne, the first black teacher at an Oxbridge college and the first woman to lead Jesus College since its founding in 1496, was born in Bridgetown, Barbados and raised in Leytonstone, east London, as a Seventh-day Adventist. . There is a sense of distrust in the decision. “There is such a thing as racial dignity in worship. This is something that has been ignored. “The monument to someone who invested in mass murder, death, slavery, torture – is this more important than this feeling of being able to be in a church in a comfortable way?” And if we do not like it, do we just have to suck it or not? “The Church of England is at the heart of Anglican society around the world. The average Anglican is a 30-year-old African woman. What are we really saying with this crisis? “ Ever since Alleyne took over as the 41st teacher at Jesus College in October 2019, she has led the college not only through a pandemic but also through a process of self-reflection as she examines the long-term legacies of slavery and colonialism. violence. Her personal message about the assassination of George Floyd received widespread attention, as did the return of a looted Benin bronze to delegates from Nigeria. Alleyne with Prince Aghatise Erediauwa during a ceremony at Jesus College for the return of Benin’s looted bronze to Nigeria. Photo: Joe Giddens / PA Her tenure also coincided with the growing diversity at the University of Cambridge. The 2020 cohort at Jesus College was described as “the most diverse in history” with more than four in five students from public schools and colleges and one in three students of color. It also wants to emphasize its work to develop better professional support for students, so it is not just about getting into Cambridge and leaving with a good degree, but also finding a rewarding career and improving social mobility, especially for the older ones. disadvantaged. To this end, she has encouraged entrepreneurship, mentoring, speed networking, career talks, internships and career opportunities, especially in the creative industries where she made her name, by founding the production company Somethin ‘Else, which she led until 2009. Alleyne also wants to encourage college members to make a difference in the wider Cambridge community, especially in the neighboring Abbey Wing, which has a high score on all levels of social deprivation and is a patron of Red Hen, a charity that supports local primary education. students and their families. However, for better or worse, the controversy over Russtat’s monument has gained her most column inches. Wednesday’s decision that Rust’s memorial should remain in the chapel met with resistance from a group of 70 college graduates who opposed his removal plan, arguing that Charles II’s former courtier had been tampered with. The decision agreed with them that the opposition to the ornate stone of the monument, designed by Grinling Gibbons, was based on “a false narrative” about the magnitude of the financial rewards Rust earned from slavery. He found that Rust’s investments in the Royal Adventurers slave trade did not bring him any financial returns, while his investments in the Royal African Company took place only 20 years after he had made his college gifts. Alleyne said the meticulous investigation had revealed that Rust was “very involved”, on the same level as Edward Colston, whose statue was demolished in Bristol in 2020, and was shocked that the fact that he was less successful as a slave trader was used in the decision to justify the stay of the monument in its place. “He was not receiving a dividend, but he was sitting in meetings. He knew how many people were lost at sea, how many cargoes were lost. He is a real investor in the transatlantic slave trade, one of the most successful companies in the world. People died. People were branded. People were raped. “People worked to the death.” The monument to Tobias Russtat at Jesus College. Photo: Joe Giddens / PA The decision came as a surprise to many, as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, advocated the removal of the monument, urging the church to change its practices. Allen expressed the anger that was disputed and lost the case, the increasingly diverse community of Jesus was now expected to return to the chapel and continue with it, in the shadow of a monument to a slave trader. “This is a very memorable moment – this was the moment of redress for the church for its previous involvement in the slave trade,” he said. “This is not acceptable. It’s offensive. It’s like saying to Rosa Parks: you had fun. You will now reach the back of the bus. It is nonsense. “These are people who do not belong to the community now who make judgments about what the community is now and what the young people are now. “We can not believe that was the result.” The college is considering whether to apply for an appeal. Meanwhile, Alleyne, a graduate of Fitzwilliam College in Cambridge, is reluctant to enter the chapel at all and will consider holding formal events that would normally be in the chapel – such as scholarships – elsewhere. “It’s the church. The church aims to love us all. You can not just say that you love us. You have to show it. The idea that you would just say: put your mouth shut and go on with it now… We do not have to accept it only from the church. “It simply’s not right. What does this crisis say? They basically say: if you do not want to enter, just go and do not enter, because it does not matter “.
