Tributes paid to historian lauded for work on Atlantic slavery

Prof Trevor Burnard’s expertise helped lead to apology by the Scott Trust, owner of the Guardian, over links to trade

Tributes have been paid to Prof Trevor Burnard, who died on Friday at the age of 63. He was described as a “prolific academic” who will be remembered for his “brilliance and his compassion”, and his work on Atlantic slavery.

Burnard, who was a professor of slavery and emancipation and considered one of the foremost experts on Atlantic slavery, joined the University of Hull in 2019, continuing his career-long interest in plantation societies in the Americas and their impact on global economic systems.