David Olusoga: "Thousands of Britons opposed abolition – because they owned slaves"

America didn't invent slavery. It was imposed on the colonists by their British and Spanish landlords. It took "Four score and seven years" for the new nation to build the strength to launch a cultural revolution to end it. Another century was required to end legal sanctions on discrimination. Now we hear cries to end bigotry and discrimination and, to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure we're ready. To be even more honest, I haven't a clue as to how to accomplish that. Bigotry is the stepchild of ignorance and, it seems to me, that bigotry can be eliminated only after first eliminating ignorance. Riddle me that one, Batman...