One of Bristol's great political campaigners, Paul Stevenson, who did great work representing our West Indian community, wanted Bristol to apologize for its role in the Africa to N. America/Caribbean slave trade. I never really understood whether he wanted all Bristolians to apologize - including the West Indian community - or whether it was just the formal representatives of the city (the mayor and corporation). No matter - what the city eventually did, via the boldly named "Imperial and Commonwealth Museum", was to put on a superb exhibition on transatlantic slavery which really showed the horror of that episode of history; a history which is still reflected in Bristol today in the grand houses of those profiting from the trade and in the legacy of their "philanthropic" donations to the city. In my opinion this was far better than some empty apology.
But many Bristolians would prefer not to mention this; to forget it completely. So perhaps Paul Stevenson had a point.