'This honorary doctorate is not just for me, but for an entire community'

On 1 July, Suriname and the Netherlands mark the abolition of slavery with a holiday called Keti Koti, which means "broken chains". For many, it is a day of celebration, but in Linda Nooitmeer’s Surinamese family, it is a day of reflection.

“I was brought up with the realisation that the legacy of slavery still has an impact on our lives today,” she says. “My father, now 75, always said: ‘As long as our brothers and sisters are not yet free from the consequences of slavery, there is no reason to celebrate.’"

She explains that her ancestors would go to church or take a ritual bath on the first of July. “We also visited neighbourhoods in Paramaribo where descendants of enslaved people were still living in the same conditions as their ancestors, as they couldn't rise above poverty. The past was still very much visible.” Her work today is still guided by this thought.

This year, Nooitmeer, who heads the Social Services Department of the Municipality of Utrecht and is the former chair of the National Institute for Dutch Slavery History and Legacy, has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Utrecht University for her contributions to raising public awareness of the legacy of slavery and preserving its memory. For her, this recognition goes beyond personal appreciation. “It feels like a crowning achievement, but above all, it is a recognition of the slavery issue, which has long remained underexposed.”

Honorary doctorate should bring about change

The university's call came out of the blue. She was on her way to a family gathering after visiting Utrecht for work. The university asked her if she would like to be nominated for an honorary doctorate. “I was surprised, but also honoured." Nevertheless, she emphasises that an honorary doctorate only means something if it leads to tangible change. “It shouldn't be just a certificate and some nice picture frames on a shelf. It has to achieve something.”

In her view, universities have a clear task. “Institutions such as Utrecht University have not only an academic but also a social responsibility in terms of how they deal with their slavery history. Recognition is a first step, but afterwards you must also look at rectifying things: how do you put that awareness into practice, and how do you deal with the repercussions of the past in the present day? I'd be happy to contribute to that.”

Contemporary inequality

Nooitmeer's work emphasises what she calls "the legacy": the way in which the history of slavery remains visible in contemporary inequality. She highlights structural disparities in education, healthcare and the justice system, as well as broader patterns of exclusion and limitations in the perspectives that have long been adopted in academia. 

“People with African roots have a marginalised socio-economic position worldwide,” she explains. “Research from 2023 (the Being Black in the EU report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights) shows that 44 per cent of this group feel discriminated against.”

According to her, this happens because the norm is not neutral. “Society determines which voices are heard and which are not; who is compensated and who is not. Fundamental rights are being violated with the law in hand.”

As an example, she mentions the childcare benefits scandal. “75 per cent of the victims had a bicultural background, and the matter has still not been resolved.”

She also notices persistent assumptions in healthcare regarding differences between population groups, which influence diagnoses and treatments. “Much of the research available is based on white men. For instance, doctors are instructed that meningitis can be recognised through the presence of dark red spots. But you don’t see those in people with darker skin tones. There are also odd things in teaching materials. For example, they still often assume that people of African descent have a higher pain threshold.”

In her view, awareness is crucial. “If you look at things from just one perspective, you miss essential signals. But once you know something, you can no longer un-know it.”

The curriculum must be revised

According to Nooitmeer, these insights must be incorporated into education. From now on, she will meet with Utrecht University regularly to discuss how she can fulfil her role. Her ambition is clear: contribute to lasting change.

“I hope a generation of scientists and teachers will emerge with a responsibility to approach this critically. This requires curricula to be reviewed or expanded, so that other perspectives and experiential knowledge are also given a place.”

She also advocates for more accessible education through scholarships for students with African roots. This could also be achieved through structural collaborations with historically disadvantaged communities.

“When I went to university, our family was in a tough financial situation. I was able to seize opportunities, but not everyone gets them. I don’t have the exact figures, but I would venture to say that inequality persists in the intake and graduation rates of students with a bicultural background. As a university, you can build a bridge by removing financial barriers.”

To Nooitmeer, the honorary doctorate is inextricably linked to a broader debate on reparations. She refers to Caricom’s ten-point plan, which advocates for reparations to address the consequences of slavery and colonialism.

“I would appreciate it if we looked at which parts of this plan are applicable at Utrecht University, within a timeframe of ten to fifteen years. Change is not easy and will meet resistance, but there are always people committed to progress.”

'I see myself as an instrument'

Although the honorary doctorate is a personal milestone, Nooitmeer considers it, above all, a collective recognition. “This isn’t just for me. It’s for the community, for the descendants, for everyone who is committed to this cause. I stand on the shoulders of many. I see myself as an instrument. The work will go on, even when I’m no longer here. It’s not a project by Linda Nooitmeer.”

According to her, most progress over the past fifteen years has been made in the cultural sphere, but the Netherlands still lags behind in other areas. “I think we will only have truly achieved something when the most vulnerable people – in Suriname, the Netherlands, and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom – see a noticeable improvement. If a child growing up in poverty today can later participate fully in the society of which they are a part. That is the task we have. The apologies to our ancestors have been made. They have been paid the respect they deserve and done what they could. Now it is up to us to build on that.”