Edward Colston was a 17th-century English merchant and philanthropist, known for his involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Born in 1636 in Bristol, he became wealthy through his work with the Royal African Company, which traded enslaved Africans. Colston donated a significant portion of his wealth to various causes, including education and the poor, leading to the establishment of several institutions in Bristol. Despite his philanthropic efforts, Colston's legacy is controversial due to his role in slavery. In 2020, a statue of him in Bristol was toppled during a protest against racial injustice, sparking a national debate about how society remembers historical figures associated with slavery.