eBay has launched an investigation into the sale of documents linked to transatlantic slavery on its website after concerns were raised about it profiting from the items.
The bidding website hosted an advertisement from a private seller for an inventory which included an African person being sold in the United States of America in 1827. The advert detailed a lengthy estate inventory with various items listed, including animals, seed cotton, lumber, and more. Among these items was a listing for “one Negro Siaba” valued at “$400.”
The retailer withdrew the documents from its website after being contacted by The Independent, prior to any sale taking place. Critics have condemned the sale of such items as unethical and have accused platforms like eBay of profiteering from the historical atrocity of slavery.
Calls have been made for documents related to slavery to be placed in museums or made freely accessible to aid in understanding their historical significance without commercial gain. Cultural historian Patrick Vernon highlighted the commonality of attempts to sell plantation and slave ship records and stressed the importance of sharing such information free and accessible to African communities for historical understanding.
An eBay spokesperson issued an apology stating, “The item shared with us by The Independent violates eBay policy and we have removed it from our site. We are in the process of removing any similar listings and would like to apologise for any offence caused.”
Many descendants of enslaved African people lack access to records about slavery and their ancestors, compounding a sense of intergenerational trauma. The spokesperson stated eBay’s commitment to closely monitor the site for such listings in the future.
The sale of such 19th-century slavery documents has reignited conversations about the commercialisation of historical atrocities and the importance of responsible handling of sensitive historical materials.