LONDON.- 2007 marks the 200th anniversary of the passing of the Act of Parliament that legally ended British involvement in the trading of African people to serve as slave labour in the Americas, the West Indies and Europe. To commemorate this anniversary, a newly commissioned trail through the National Portrait Gallery's Collection, written by cultural geographer Dr Caroline Bressey and a special programme of events will explore different aspects of the Trade and its legacy.

The trail through the Gallery's Collection will highlight key individuals, ranging from Elizabeth I to William Wilberforce who were involved in slavery and the abolition of the slave trade. The trail begins in the Tudor period and runs throughout the Gallery, ending with images and comments from contemporary individuals, like Aidan McQuade, Director of Anti-Slavery International, and Liberty's Shami Chakrabarti, who are prominent in the fight to stop slavery today. The trail runs until 22 July 2007.

Exploring further aspects of the Trade, and its legacy, a week of talks, music, film, family and young people's activities will take place at the Gallery between 19 and 25 March. These include talks by Aidan McQuade, and also acclaimed historian and author of Questioning Slavery, James Walvin; film screenings, music, poetry and story-telling performances. There will also be conferences and talks linked to the Gallery's exhibition Between Worlds: Voyagers to Britain 1700-1850. All events are free, with no need to book unless otherwise stated.