11 10 134 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/9653d3f9cee2d7063549cfa5a591a1db.jpg de150f9a21ea8ebf789edb423bad517e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Black Abolitionists: Tubman, Douglass, Truth Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials in this collection commemorate the extraordinary achievements of three U.S. Black abolitionist and freedom seekers: Harriet Tubman, née Araminta Ross, (c. 1822-1913); Frederick Douglass (c. 1818-1895); and Sojourner Truth (1797-1883). Born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Harriet Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849. During the next ten years, she made approximately thirteen trips into Maryland to rescue other enslaved family members and friends. She provided instructions for escape to about 70 more enslaved people who were able to self-emancipate. During the Civil War, she served the United States Army as a spy, scout, nurse and cook. As one of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad, the monuments in this section often depict Tubman leading groups of freedom seekers on their journey northwards to freedom, such as Mario Chiodo’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unwavering Courage in the Pursuit of Freedom</a>. In other works, such as Alison Saar’s <a href="https://www.harriettubmanmonuments.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swing Low</a>, Tubman is depicted alone, facing southward as she makes the perilous journey back to Maryland to free more enslaved people. One of the most brilliant orators of his generation, Frederick Douglass worked ceaselessly for the cause of abolition. Among his many achievements, Douglass became one of the early and important critical theorists of photography, a medium invented in 1839. In a series of lectures delivered between 1861-1865, Douglass argued that photography had the power to shape people’s understandings of race and as such could be deployed to resist distorted representations of African Americans. Douglass, who was exceptionally aware of the power of his own image, sat for a number of portraits over several decades, circulating his image widely. His photographic portraits serve as the basis for a number of the works in this collection, including Ivan Schwartz’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1193" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frederick Douglass</a>, created for the New York Historical Society. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in 1797 in Swartekill, New York. She emancipated herself, escaping to freedom in 1826. During her 30-year career, she became a formidable force in several 19th-century reform movements, linking the struggles for Black freedom with women’s suffrage. Truth capitalized on both the affecting power of photography and its reproducibility to support her activism. She created carte-de-visite portraits of herself, which she copyrighted, adding the caption “I Sell the Shadow to Support the Substance. Sojourner Truth.” As Darcy Grimaldo Grigsby explores in her book Enduring Truths: Sojourner’s Shadows and Substance (2015), Truth “made her photographic portrait worth money in order to end slavery—and also became the strategic author of her public self.” Commemorative works such as the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/1b9f9d28475430765059a059a43787b2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sojourner Truth Memorial</a> in Florence, Massachusetts, are based on the photographic portrait that Truth so carefully created and circulated. Updated January 26, 2026 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 84 in. (213.36 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sojourner (Sacramento, California) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Catlett, Elizabeth, 1919-2012 Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States California--Sacramento Freedom Public art Public sculpture Women--Suffrage Subject (Name) Truth, Sojourner, c. 1797-1883 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Unlike many sculptural representations of Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Catlett’s work is geometric and slightly abstracted. Truth is shown with her arms crossed at her chest as she tilts her head skyward, her eyes closed. The flared skirt of her form-fitting dress adds to the work's sense of upward movement. The stone is polished smooth, save for Truth’s hair, which, although abstracted, is shown uncovered in cropped curls. In January 2013, the sculpture was vandalized, pushed off the pedestal and broke into large pieces. After restoration, the sculpture was placed inside the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, City of Sacramento Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Crocker Art Museum, 216 O Street, Sacramento, California, 95814, United States Extent The size or duration of the resource. 84 in. (213.36 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Mexican limestone Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="http://sacpedart.com/?p=3840" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pedestrian Art, Sacramento</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, City of Sacramento, 300 Richards Boulevard, Suite 3, Sacramento, CA, 95811, United States Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Pedestrian Art-Sacramento. "Sojourner Truth-13th & K." September 6, 2012. Accessed February 19, 2025. http://sacpedart.com/?p=3840. abstract figurative limestone portrait https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/0740b38e49bdaefb69c539a922a2d0d7.jpeg 3eb03e5222b27d5d4385761fe494a19e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Black Abolitionists: Tubman, Douglass, Truth Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials in this collection commemorate the extraordinary achievements of three U.S. Black abolitionist and freedom seekers: Harriet Tubman, née Araminta Ross, (c. 1822-1913); Frederick Douglass (c. 1818-1895); and Sojourner Truth (1797-1883). Born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Harriet Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849. During the next ten years, she made approximately thirteen trips into Maryland to rescue other enslaved family members and friends. She provided instructions for escape to about 70 more enslaved people who were able to self-emancipate. During the Civil War, she served the United States Army as a spy, scout, nurse and cook. As one of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad, the monuments in this section often depict Tubman leading groups of freedom seekers on their journey northwards to freedom, such as Mario Chiodo’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unwavering Courage in the Pursuit of Freedom</a>. In other works, such as Alison Saar’s <a href="https://www.harriettubmanmonuments.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swing Low</a>, Tubman is depicted alone, facing southward as she makes the perilous journey back to Maryland to free more enslaved people. One of the most brilliant orators of his generation, Frederick Douglass worked ceaselessly for the cause of abolition. Among his many achievements, Douglass became one of the early and important critical theorists of photography, a medium invented in 1839. In a series of lectures delivered between 1861-1865, Douglass argued that photography had the power to shape people’s understandings of race and as such could be deployed to resist distorted representations of African Americans. Douglass, who was exceptionally aware of the power of his own image, sat for a number of portraits over several decades, circulating his image widely. His photographic portraits serve as the basis for a number of the works in this collection, including Ivan Schwartz’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1193" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frederick Douglass</a>, created for the New York Historical Society. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in 1797 in Swartekill, New York. She emancipated herself, escaping to freedom in 1826. During her 30-year career, she became a formidable force in several 19th-century reform movements, linking the struggles for Black freedom with women’s suffrage. Truth capitalized on both the affecting power of photography and its reproducibility to support her activism. She created carte-de-visite portraits of herself, which she copyrighted, adding the caption “I Sell the Shadow to Support the Substance. Sojourner Truth.” As Darcy Grimaldo Grigsby explores in her book Enduring Truths: Sojourner’s Shadows and Substance (2015), Truth “made her photographic portrait worth money in order to end slavery—and also became the strategic author of her public self.” Commemorative works such as the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/1b9f9d28475430765059a059a43787b2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sojourner Truth Memorial</a> in Florence, Massachusetts, are based on the photographic portrait that Truth so carefully created and circulated. Updated January 26, 2026 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 84 in. (213.36 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sojourner Truth Statue (Highland, New York) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bagwell, Vinnie, 1957- Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Freedom New York (State)--Highland Public art Public sculpture Women--Suffrage Subject (Name) Truth, Sojourner, c. 1797-1883 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 26, 2020 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource New York State Women's Suffrage Commission; Modern Art Foundry; Fine Arts Specialists Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, 87 Haviland Road, Highland, New York, 12528, United States Extent The size or duration of the resource. 84 in. (213.36 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Vinnie Bagwell's seven-foot-tall bronze statue of Sojourner Truth reveals a bespectacled, a middle-aged woman who stares resolutely forward, her head turned slightly to the right. Bagwell, perhaps taking inspiration from this undated carte de visite of Truth, shows Truth with her right arm outstretched by her side and a cane in her left hand. The folds of her skirt contain bas-reliefs from moments in Truth's life including images of a young enslaved mother comforting her child, a slavery sale sign, images of her abolitionist peers, and a poster for a Women's Suffrage March. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="http://timeshudsonvalley.com/stories/celebrating-womens-suffrage,19999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudson Valley Times</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, New York, 12207, United States Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Press Release. "New York State Announces Unveiling of Sojourner Truth Statue at The Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park." August 26, 2020. Accessed February 19, 2025. https://www.governor.ny.gov/unveiling-sojourner-truth-statue-walkway-over-hudson-state-historic-park. Santistevan, Ryan. "Sojourner Truth Statue Installed at Highland's Walkway Over the Hudson Welcome Center." Poughkeepsie Journal, August 18, 2020. Accessed February 19, 2025. https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2020/08/18/sojourner-truth-statue-installed-walkway-over-hudson-highland/5596247002/. Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Informational plaque about the Sojourner Truth Statue: Isabelle Baumfree (Bomefree) was born enslaved in Ulster County among Dutch people. As Sojourner Truth she became one of the nation's leading voices for abolition and universal suffrage in the nineteenth century. She "walked away by day light," freeing herself from slavery one year before legal enslavement ended in New York. Following her deeply held religious views she traveled as an intinerant preacher, speaking "truth" to the harsh inequalities people of color and women suffered, while calling for systemic change. Naming herself Sojourner Truth, she became known for her strong mind and remarkable gift of language, which she used tirelessly for human rights. Throughout her life, Sojourner Truth fought for justice for all under the law. She won several court cases tied to the rights of Black women, including regaining her illegally-sold son and later defending herself against slander. Her imposing stature, remarkable oratory skills, and melodic voice propelled Truth to the forefront in the national debates on abolition, suffrage, and the flight of those formerly enslaved. Sojourner Truth's belief in equal rights for all humans has kept her in the public consciousness and allowed her to become a symbol for strength and change during the Civil Rights and Women's Movements of the 20th century. Statue Inscriptions A. "The Truth is Powerful and It Prevails." B. Three Spirals C. "Negroes for Sale" sign D. Mother, Son and Hand E. Heart Symbol (Adinkra) F. Isabella Baumtree G. Influenctial Faces H. Female Warrior I. Abolitionist Poster J. Dutch and Braille Translations "We are now trying for liberty that requires no blood--that women shall have their rights, not rights from you. Give them what belongs to them." --Sojourner Truth Vinnie Bagwell, Artist A native of New York State, Ms. Bagwell is a multi-disciplinary artist, sculptor, painter, writer, illustrator, and graphic designer. She has completed numerous public art commissions including a bronze of "The Lady of Jazz Ella Fitzgerald," which was the first public artwork of a contemporary African American woman to be commissioned by a municipality in the United States. Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park New York Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Adinkra symbols bas-relief bronze figurative portrait https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/254672aeb2ae63c0d1f2cdf6413ec02b.jpeg 2ebc104da31e5965296c7606cde49375 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/0f5f248978463ac075763d1b0a87827a.jpeg 5bee016b5984fc4b8a120999d418501d https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/a67f77f19b42524179325ff776211da0.jpeg 3a4b88b9c5d9e56646fae08b127dbf54 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emancipation Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The commemorative works under the theme of "Emancipation" include two different types of monuments and memorials: those focused on the end of slavery in the United States through the Emancipation Proclamation, and memorials to emancipation and liberation movements in the Caribbean. The forms of the monuments and memorials range from figurative sculpture such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1145" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redemption Song</a> in Kingston, Jamaica; a series of gateways at the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1214" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Camp Barker Memorial</a> located at Garrison Elementary School in Washington, DC; and the abstract forms of <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1162" target="_blank" rel="noopener">L'Arbre de la liberté</a> in Schoelcher, Martinique. Thomas Ball's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1223" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedmen's Memorial to Abraham Lincoln </a>(1876) as well as Meta Warrick Fuller's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1121" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emancipation</a> (1913) are also included here as they represent early sculptural engagements with the theme in the United States. In the near future, we will add more commemorative works from the Caribbean to this theme including public art in Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Sint Maarten. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 72 in. (182.88 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Legacies (Memphis, Tennessee) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bagwell, Vinnie, 1957- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Chickasaw Heritage Park, 305 Metal Museum Drive, Memphis, Tennessee, 38106, United States Extent The size or duration of the resource. 72 in. (182.88 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze (figure); Field-stone boulder (base), Mesabi-black-granite (ring) Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Chickasaw Nation Enslaved persons--Emancipation Freed persons Public art Public sculpture Tennessee--Memphis Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Legacies depicts a Chickasaw woman wrapped in a cloak. The artist Vinnie Bagwell has embellished the hem of the cloak with bas-relief, illuminating the complex history of present-day Memphis. She includes an African American woman and child. The two figures recall the 1866 emancipation of enslaved Black people in the Chickasaw Nation. The treaty of 1866 also included a provision that the US Government grant US citizenship to members of the Chickasaw Nation. On the work's back, the Spanish conquistador, Hernando De Soto, who trespassed into Chickasaw territory in 1540, is shown. Bagwell also includes an African American man playing the guitar and the famed blues musician, William Christopher Handy. Braille on the cloak reads "Legacies." The bronze statue rests on a field-stone boulder within a Mesabi-black granite ring. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs: <a href="https://uacmem.org/projects/legacies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UrbanArt Commission</a> Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource UrbanArt Commission; City of Memphis Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Public Art Archive. "Legacies." Accessed February 19, 2025. https://publicartarchive.org/art/Legacies/d0118e83. UrbanArt Commission. "Legacies." Accessed March 24, 2025. https://uacmem.org/projects/legacies. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Memphis, 125 North Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee, 38103, United States bas-relief black granite bronze figurative https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/5f6378537d207a1cc73bf0137e10fa5c.jpeg 8569d239dc28d02956bcfef1e567c3a3 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/9afb9aa834b3a6b2f73112e710e15bdf.jpeg 461c001bd664900aaf6ae83f4f8d7e67 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/644459b72f60e76ba4cdacf17f558eb0.jpeg 733d1b934987e5c0301f4dabdd411922 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/b7e2e84058dd97d7aa48d31fa9c0fbab.jpeg 84576277d0910bf87205c504b3f1fee7 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/2de75cbfc675c3f6f221d1d8aadb0289.jpeg 8905b138c5bf106c4ac11c3c063dcc1a https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/2265296b4d34d487c98e451c6f485e69.jpeg a46c3a14f752eb1941b1a174a5c19ecf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Universities and Slavery Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments in this collection examine the intertwined histories of American universities and slavery. In his book, Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities (2013), Craig Steven Wilder examines how universities and colleges were established and expanded because of the massive wealth they accrued from the transatlantic slave trade and slavery. Slave traders became the principal financiers of endowed faculty chairs and were appointed as university trustees, and colleges and universities made special efforts to recruit the sons of the slaveholding elite. Presidents of universities also held Black people in bondage, for example, Princeton’s first nine university presidents owned enslaved people. Universities and colleges such as the University of Virginia have recognized how enslaved people labored on their campuses, waiting on faculty and students and tending to their grounds. Just as importantly, the classes at many universities upheld the logic of racism foundational to American slavery. As researchers at Rutgers found, “The faculty and curriculum at Rutgers and other early American colleges reinforced the theological and scientific racism that provided the ideological and spiritual justification for the free labor of Africans, the absolute power of slave owners, and the separation of the races.” Often responding to pressure from students and activists, universities and colleges across the United States have begun to think more critically about how to address the complex, untold, and painful history of slavery and its ongoing legacy on their campuses. The memorials in this collection, such as the University of Virginia’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127">Memorial to Enslaved Laborers</a> are intended as spaces for learning, healing, and reconciliation. In addition to building monuments, universities are also attempting to redress and repair their relationship with communities most affected by slavery. William and Mary’s Lemon Project, for example, focuses on “contributing to and encouraging scholarship on the 300-year relationship between African Americans and William and Mary, and building bridges between the university and Williamsburg and Greater Tidewater area.” Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 240 x 180 in. (609.6 x 457.2 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource From Absence to Presence, Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland (St. Mary's City, Maryland) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Allbritton, Shane, 1974- RE:site Studio Lee, Norman, 1972- RE:site Studio Baker, Quenton (poet), 1985- Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Maryland--St. Mary's City Public art Public sculpture St. Mary's College of Maryland Slavery--Maryland Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater<a href="https://www.smcm.edu/commemorative/%20" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 20, 2020 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource METALAB (design optimization/management); Merge Studios (fabrication/installation); The Commemorative Selection Committee; St. Mary's College of Maryland; Governor Larry J. Hogan and the State of Maryland; Dr. Jeffrey J. Byrd and Mrs. Elizabeth A. Byrd; Maryland Heritage Areas Authority; Maryland State Arts Council; Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource The installation is shaped to evoke the frame of a slave cabin, constructed from alternating horizontal rows of wooden clapboards and mirror-polished, stainless-steel panels. The reflective surfaces mirror the surrounding environment, while the hollow interior, which is inaccessible to the public, suggests a private space for reflection and introspection. Inscribed across the stainless-steel panels are redacted text from slave advertisements and runaway slave notices from Southern Maryland—erasure poetry by Quenton Baker—that extend across the walls and roof, weaving erased memory and acts of commemoration into the entire structure. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 47777 Mattapany Road, St. Mary's City, Maryland, 20686, United States Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. Mary's College of Maryland, 47645 College Drive, St. Mary's City, Maryland, 20686, United States Type The nature or genre of the resource Building and Structures Visual Arts-Sculpture Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Steel frame; Polished mirror stainless steel; Tropical hardwood Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. St. Mary's College of Maryland. "About the Commemorative." Accessed May 3, 2021. https://www.smcm.edu/honoring-enslaved/about-commemorative/. SEGD. "From Absence to Presence, The Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland: Honor Award 2022." SEGD, Projects. Accessed February 10, 2026. https://segd.org/projects/from-absence-to-presence-commemorative-to-enslaved-peoples-of-southern-maryland/. King, Julia A. "Notice is Hereby Given: The Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland." In Grappling with Monuments of Oppression, eds. Christopher C. Fennell. 156-171. Routledge, 2025. Wilder, Craig Steven. Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America's Universities. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. History of site information plaque: From Absence to Presence, Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland History of the Site Between 1750 and 1815, this field was home to three or four enslaved households. They labored for John Hicks and later John Mackall, both planters whose wealth was built on slave labor. Here along Mattapatty Road--then the main route into St. Mary's City--this housing compound, and another one across the road, would have been visible to all who passed by. In 2016, St. Mary's College of Maryland archaeologists unearthed fragments of brick, ceramics, tobacco pipes and bottle glass suggesting where these families' cabins once stood. The archaeologists believe the houses were probably of rough log construction with wooden chimneys and brick hearths. The cabins probably had few or no windows and dirt floors. Inside the cabins and out of sight of plantation surveillance, the families furnished their homes with both plain and decorated ceramics, possibly purchased with money made selling garden vegetables. Traces of garden features were found in this vicinity and documents show that enslaved families or nearby plantations sold their produce in the neighborhood. Although enlsaved, the families living here were probably able to travel to nearby farms, to church, and to the store in nearby St. Inigoes. In 1814, during the War of 1812, the British Navy issued a call to enslaved people in Southern Maryland to join against Americans and thereby earn their freedom. Nineteen men, women, and children enslaved by John Mackall heeded the call and joined the British. Based on the absence of artifacts after 1814, archaeologists suspect that some of these individuals may have come from this compound. A short three years later, on Easter Monday in 1817, the memory of those who had self-emancipated still fresh in everyone's minds, free and enslaved, a group of an estimated 150-200 enslaved men gathered at a dram shop, or tavern, near the store in St. Inigoes. When the local constable attempted to break up the gathering, the men resisted, a melee ensued, and some men were arrested for insurrection. No doubt men from the Mackall plantation were involved in the uprising, although their names were not among the arrested. By uncovering this hidden Black landscape, both here in St. Mary's City and throughout Southern Maryland, we can understand not only the unfinished work of the American Revolution, but the African American role in the struggle for freedom for all. Object information plaque: From Absence to Presence, Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland Activist Angela Davis described the sacredness of slave quarters in the lives of enslaved people as "the only space where they could truly experience themselves as human beings." This form is inspired by the 'ghost frame' architecture found on the site of Historic St. Mary's City. Rows of erasure poetry are cut from mirrored surfaces, creating an oscillation between legibility and illegibility. We experience the loss or un-speakability within fragment historical narratives of slavery. The words of archival documents, from St. Mary's County, of historical runaway slave advertisements are "redacted" by clapboards to reveal an emergent narrative of enslaved people. The reflective nature of the walls suggests that even as viewers of the present day, we are not to penetrate the sacred private space of the enslaved people who were once present at the site. The Commemoration creates a juxtaposition between the current site of a campus sports field with the past of a slave plantation field, causing us to reflect on how our lives are connected to the lives of the enslaved peoples throughout history. At night, the words of poetry are illuminated and projected upon the ground, recalling the starburst motif found on some of the stoneware artifacts discovered at the St. Barbara's site. Academics speculate the star form may symbolize Anansi, a character originating in Asante folklore who unites society against hostile outside forces. Anansi undermined the plantation system, resiting slavery through self-emancipation. The starburst form also evokes the North Star, which played a key role in helping enslaved peoples to find their way: a beacon to truth north and freedom. The illuminated structure appears as a beacon keeping eternal vigil to the memory and resilience of the enslaved peoples who once lived, loved, worked and resisted on the grounds of St. Mary's College. Artists: Shane Albritton and Norman Lee (RE:site) with poet Quenton Baker. Commissioning Agent: St. Mary's College of Maryland This project was made possible with funds from: The State of Maryland, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Maryland State Arts Council, Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium, Elizabeth and Jeffry Byrd. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 240 x 180 in. (609.6 x 457.2 cm) https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/50c4a5e84abd4d0588f158aa392c65ab.jpeg a73cce7fda9db262b9a6116437de20d4 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/a9da5d8c8b8632309df9fdc3ef16bebc.jpeg 3848700cddc0acc39f5294363247d194 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/4b1964b5f81014d65d590c57d7eb72b3.jpeg 40332b776f8924b80f7c153ab8ce6838 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/9ea401230953551814c3d5775ea8ffb9.jpeg 370a40447927f7b4cbbdf238f0c0f0ac https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/7d9b4fe56c13f0395bfef85efe211285.jpeg b459ad813d6d47c78387ce166b2e24bc https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/3f2e3255d1c0a2c6810e762358f59bdf.jpeg 222e9394587d42928b24e73793f75e0f https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/9d37b48e4d5cd1b4acb8be5b826e12df.jpeg f8f137920ccce59004b404d176794dac Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emancipation Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The commemorative works under the theme of "Emancipation" include two different types of monuments and memorials: those focused on the end of slavery in the United States through the Emancipation Proclamation, and memorials to emancipation and liberation movements in the Caribbean. The forms of the monuments and memorials range from figurative sculpture such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1145" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redemption Song</a> in Kingston, Jamaica; a series of gateways at the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1214" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Camp Barker Memorial</a> located at Garrison Elementary School in Washington, DC; and the abstract forms of <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1162" target="_blank" rel="noopener">L'Arbre de la liberté</a> in Schoelcher, Martinique. Thomas Ball's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1223" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedmen's Memorial to Abraham Lincoln </a>(1876) as well as Meta Warrick Fuller's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1121" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emancipation</a> (1913) are also included here as they represent early sculptural engagements with the theme in the United States. In the near future, we will add more commemorative works from the Caribbean to this theme including public art in Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Sint Maarten. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Entry portals: 126 in. (320.04 cm) Portal widths: 78 in. (198.12 cm) to 192 in. (502.92 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Camp Barker Memorial (Washington, DC) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource MacDonald, Katie, 1992- After Architecture Schumann, Kyle, 1992- After Architecture Bagwell, Vinnie, 1957- Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons--Emancipation Fugitive slaves Public art Public sculpture Refugee camps--History--19th century United States Colored Troops United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 Washington (D. C.) Subject (Object Type) Buildings and Structures Commemorative sculpture Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Yun Associates, LLC (structural engineering); Garrison Elementary School (DC Public Schools) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 2019 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Buildings and Structures Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Garrison Elementary School, 1200 S Street NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States Extent The size or duration of the resource. Entry portals: 126 in. (320.04 cm) Portal widths: 78 in. (198.12 cm) to 192 in. (502.92 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Charred wood; Brass Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Created by the architecture firm After Architecture (Katie MacDonald and Kyle Schumann), the memorial consists of three entry gatewaysthat serve as both functional entrances and commemorative spaces. Constructed from charred wood and lined with reflective brass, the portals feature bronze bas-relief panels by sculptor Vinnie Bagwell. These panels depict key figures and moments from African American history, including Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and the year 1862—the year of the District of Columbia Emancipation Act. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource DC Public Schools, 1200 First Street, NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. "Camp Barker Memorial, Washington, DC, United States, 2019." Architectonic. Accessed May 3, 2021. https://www.architonic.com/en/project/after-architecture-camp-barker-memorial/20076736. McDonald, Katie and Kyle Schumann. “Camp Barker Memorial: From Object to Urban Mediator.” Expanding the View: 109th Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Annual Meeting Proceedings, March 24-26, 2001. Accessed August 27, 2024. https://www.acsa-arch.org/chapter/camp-barker-memorial-from-object-to-urban-mediator/. Taylor, Sharine. “The Camp Barker Memorial Is a Sobering Look at America’s Past (and Present).” Azure, August 19, 2019. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/the-camp-barker-memorial-is-a-sobering-look-at-americas-past-and-present/. Adinkra symbols bas-relief bronze Civil War wood https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/910a9bfc24eeda04e328c64259f50fca.jpg 5e6d67c68062a6681e07a0808a624184 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Resistance Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials in this section commemorate the enslaved and free men and women who resisted bondage and worked to end the institution of slavery. In her book, The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition (2016), historian Manisha Sinha examines the long history of Black resistance to chattel slavery. Resistance to enslavement took many forms—from rebellions aboard slave ships and on plantations to the enslaved slowing the pace of work, breaking tools, feigning illness, and escaping from bondage. The works in this section honor these diverse histories of resistance. The <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1122" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amistad Memorial</a> in New Haven, Connecticut, recognizes Sengbe Pieh, who led a revolt of abducted Africans against their captors on the Spanish slave ship, the Amistad; the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Three Rebel Queens of the Virgin Islands</a> in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, celebrates the women of the Fireburn Revolt of 1878; and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaspar Yanga</a> statue highlights a seventeenth-century self-emancipated leader of a maroon colony near Veracruz, Mexico. In the near future, we will add more commemorative works from the Caribbean to this theme including monuments and memorials in Antigua, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 84 in. (213.36 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Spirit of Freedom (Hamilton, Bermuda) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dowling, Carlos, 1949- Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Cabinet Gardens, 105 Front Street, Hamilton, Bermuda Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Bermuda Islands--Hamilton Public art Public sculpture Resistance Slavery--Bermuda Islands Slavery--England Transatlantic slave trade Subject (Name) Bassett, Sarah (Sally), d. 1730 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource In 1730, the colonial government of Bermuda executed Sarah Bassett, an enslaved woman, for allegedly attempting to poison her granddaughter’s enslavers. In Spirit of Freedom, she is depicted as a slender female figure bound tightly with ropes, her arms restrained behind her back. Her head is tilted slightly upward and turned to the side, her eyes closed in silent defiance. Her legs are tightly bound to a stake and secured on top of a burning pyre. The sculpture stands on a circular pedestal. Around the base, the name “Sarah (Sally) Bassett” is inscribed, along with a description of events from her life. Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Gibson, Stephanie. "Revealing Sally: Unveiling Bermuda's Resistance to Confront its Brutal Past." Monument Lab, May 4, 2020. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://monumentlab.com/bulletin/revealing-sally-unveiling-bermudas-resistance-to-confront-its-brutal-past. Swan, Quito. "Smoldering Memories and Burning Questions: The Politics of Remembering Sally Bassett and Slavery in Bermuda." In Politics of Memory: Making Slavery Visible in the Public Space, ed. Ana Lucia Araujo, 71-91. Routledge, 2012. CIPDH-UNESCO. "Spirit of Freedom." Memorias Situadas: Sites of Memory Related to Serious Human Rights Violations. Accessed February 4, 2026. https://www.cipdh.gob.ar/memorias-situadas/en/lugar-de-memoria/espiritu-de-libertad/. Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Sarah Bassett Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 9, 2009 Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Six segments: The lower step of the base of the statue is divided into six segments. The segments are inscribed with events from Sarah Bassett's life. <ul> <li>Sarah (Sally) Bassett</li> <li>Sarah (Sally) Bassett was an enslaved woman owned by the estate of Francis Dickinson of Southampton.</li> <li>On June 1, 1730, she was tried on the "Suspicion of Poisoning several persons" including the mariner Thomas Forester (who owned Sally's granddaughter Beck), his wife Sarah, and Nancey, a household bondswoman.</li> <li>At the time of her sentencing, Sally was valued at one pound, four shillings and sixpence. Another local legend says that Bermuda's national flower, the Bermudiana, grew from Sally's ashes.</li> <li>Sally was charged with supplying Beck with the poison that Nancey discovered in the wall of the kitchen outlet. Although Sally maintained her innocence, stating that she "never deserved" the sentence given, she was burned at the stake for the offence.</li> <li>Local lore holds that it was extremely hot when Sally was executed; and even now, Bermudians may refer to a scorchingly hot day as "a real Sally Bassett day."</li> </ul> Bronze plaque on the upper step of the base of the statue: The African Diaspora Heritage Trail Bermuda Officially Designated a UNESCO Slave Route Proejct Officially Opened 9 February 2009 By the Honorable Premier Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP Extent The size or duration of the resource. 84 in. (213.36 cm) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Basset#/media/File:Statue_of_Sally_Basset.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikipedia</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Bermuda Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Government of Bermuda Administration Building, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM12, Bermuda bronze figurative trees https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/8b463cae26ccd291755704ec57d628ef.jpeg 39d0e305ef30d4b963ed0cc18606864b https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/792bd3c743c984bfbd9905572548617d.jpeg 64df8e582c7f9e5602d8ab396c89c2c8 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/39af40059f086620799201b1a2844d01.jpeg 4c15c42657f529de5373a311f3dbe538 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/cf182d806c1e730a399cdf97d36c9214.jpeg d190ed92f55d46966d618496c3c46016 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/2ad7e42791353863d4350b793d1ff509.jpeg 2e8144439e73ed04fe3e7e0c673caebe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sites of Slavery Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Description An account of the resource For this thematic grouping, sites of slavery are designated as historic places (including plantations, wharves, archaeological sites) where "slavery happened" and that commemorate enslaved Africans, their lives, and their labor. We include sites that act as memorials and often have sculpture, public art, or monuments located on their grounds.  Founded in 2014 as a museum, the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1218" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whitney Plantation</a> educates the public about the history of slavery in Louisiana and the brutal production of sugar along the Mississippi River, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The historic plantation complex comprises twelve historic structures including slave cabins, a kitchen, a jail, and the main house. This site of slavery includes four memorials: The Wall of Honor, Allées Gwendolyn Midlo Hall, The Field of Angels, and the 1811 German Coast Uprising Memorials. Other sites of slavery include the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1144" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACTe Mémorial </a>in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadaloupe, a memorial building and museum on the site of a former sugar plantation; the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1164" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valongo Wharf</a>, an archaeology site in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that was the debarkation point of an estimated 900,000 enslaved Africans; and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mémorial de l'abolition de l'esclavage</a> in Nantes, France, on the Quai de la Fosse along the Loire River, the symbolic departure point of slave ships that sailed from France to Africa. Additional sites to be added include the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park along the Alabama River in Montgomery, Alabama, and the African Ancestors Memorial Garden at the International African American Museum located on Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, South Carolina. Note: All sites of slavery in West Africa can be found under the theme of the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/collections/show/14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transatlantic Slave Trade/Middle Passage.</a> Updated January 26, 2026 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Varied Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Enslaved Africans' Rain Garden (Yonkers, New York) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bagwell, Vinnie, 1957- Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site (Yonkers, N.Y.) Public art Public sculpture New York (State)--Hudson River New York (State)--Yonkers Slavery--New York (State) Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The public art project including a rain garden is located along the Hudson River in Yonkers. It is comprised of four life-size bronze statues: I'Satta; Themba; Bibi; and Sola and Olumide. The figures commemorate enslaved Africans who resided at the Philipse Manor Hall. I'Satta is a bronze sculpture of a young African woman dressed in eighteenth-century dress. In her left hand, she carries a string of four fish, while she uses her right hand to balance the wood-slat bucket on her head. On the back of her dress is a schematic of a slave ship, a map of Africa, Adinkra symbols, and text that reads "Angola-Madagascar." The bottom of her skirt includes an image of man's face drowning as a ship sails off. On the side of her skirt, the artist included a Braille inscription: "My soul looks back, lest I forget." Bibi represents the elders of enslaved Africans. As she appears to stride forward, Bibi wears a large brim hat and carries a large stick. Braille on her apron reads: “I believe in freedom.” In the folds of her skirt, there is a relief sculpture of a little girl. The sign on the hem of the skirt reads: “FOR SALE A likely… NEGRO WENCH Seven to eight years of age. Has had smallpox. For information, enquire at…” Themba holds a tri-corner hat in his hands as he gazes off into the distance. Braille on his garment reads: “faith, hope, trust.” He stands upon a map of the western world, indicating the routes that slave ships took around the world. Sola and Olumide are sculptures of two young children who embrace each other. On Olumide's back are bas-relief images of African masks, art that is indigenous to their homeland and was seen commercially in America until well after the third quarter of the 20th century. See video about the Enslaved Africans' Rain Garden: https://youtu.be/F4loZRMtCrs. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 19, 2022 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The City of Yonkers; New York Council of the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts; ArtsWestchester; ConEdison; Entergy; New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Yonkers Board of Education Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 20 Water Grant Street, Yonkers, New York, 10701, United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Yonkers, 40 Sout Broadway, Yonkers, New York, 10701, United States Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Aiello, Tony. "Enslaved Africans Rain Garden Unveiled in Yonkers." CBS New York. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/enslaved-africans-rain-garden-unveiled-in-yonkers/. Enslaved African's Rain Garden: A Public Art Iniative. Website, 2022. Accessed February 17, 2025. http://enslavedafricansraingarden.org. Extent The size or duration of the resource. Varied Adinkra symbols bas-relief bronze figurative https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/4a1cc0f190e13de470b2f0148ca1eaa3.JPG 668a98834f116e9a64e2ab72dc4cd55b https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/939a9c6f383a38d640f294b3f3e8f493.JPG d09eea9ae3c895ff6e8b9ef4bd6f917b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Resistance Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials in this section commemorate the enslaved and free men and women who resisted bondage and worked to end the institution of slavery. In her book, The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition (2016), historian Manisha Sinha examines the long history of Black resistance to chattel slavery. Resistance to enslavement took many forms—from rebellions aboard slave ships and on plantations to the enslaved slowing the pace of work, breaking tools, feigning illness, and escaping from bondage. The works in this section honor these diverse histories of resistance. The <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1122" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amistad Memorial</a> in New Haven, Connecticut, recognizes Sengbe Pieh, who led a revolt of abducted Africans against their captors on the Spanish slave ship, the Amistad; the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Three Rebel Queens of the Virgin Islands</a> in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, celebrates the women of the Fireburn Revolt of 1878; and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaspar Yanga</a> statue highlights a seventeenth-century self-emancipated leader of a maroon colony near Veracruz, Mexico. In the near future, we will add more commemorative works from the Caribbean to this theme including monuments and memorials in Antigua, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 36 x 33.6 x 24 in. (91.44 x 85.34 x 60.96 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Henry "Box" Brown Memorial (Richmond, Virginia) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Enslaved persons--Emancipation--United States Public art Public sculpture Resistance Slavery--Virginia Virginia--Richmond Subject (Name) Brown, Henry "Box," 1816-1897 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Box Brown Plaza, 1498 Dock Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The memorial commemorates Henry "Box" Brown's harrowing journey to freedom. On March 23, 1849, with the assistance of James Caesar Anthony Smith, a freedman and white abolitionist, Samuel Alexander Smith, Brown shipped himself in a two-by-three-foot crate marked "dried goods" from Richmond to Philadelphia. Brown would later become a well-known antislavery activist, attempting to assist other enslaved people to escape in crates. The memorial includes a bronze crate meant to resemble the wooden one that Brown used. The crate is open and an outline of a crouching human figure is inscribed on the back panel of the box. An informational placard is sited near the sculpture, which details the history of slavery in Richmond and Brown's escape. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscriptions on five sides of box: "Buoyed up by the prospect of freedom...I was willing to dare even death itself." "The idea flashed across my mind of shutting myself up in a box, and getting myself conveyed... to a free state." "I laid me down in my darkened home of three feet by two feet." "My friends...managed to break open the box, and then came my resurrection from the grave of slavery." "I arose a free man." Inscription on the stone platform: "In a wooden crate similar to this one, Henry Brown, a Richmond tobacco worker, made the journey from slavery to freedom in 1849" Extent The size or duration of the resource. 36 x 33.6 x 24 in. (91.44 x 85.34 x 60.96 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2001 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Richmond, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource City of Richmond; Richmond City Council Slave Trade Commission; Venture Richmond Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Encyclopedia Virginia. "Henry Box Brown (1815 or 1816-1897)." Accessed February 17, 2025. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/brown-henry-box-1815-or-1816-1897. Brown, Henry. Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown, Written by Himself. Manchester: Lee and Glynn, 1855. Documenting the American South. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/brownbox/brownbox.html. abstract bronze https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/73ca10f703ac89f7fa5ce0a297adbe65.jpeg d90ba7847b56e82a38ed989b560a8630 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/1e8a87f1369061ce67a96b516fcca9fd.jpeg cd4ed5b1d0321bdb4ed770968c3dea0e https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/0826a728cd442f8f627122c714b9ca56.jpg a9f3f348baed83770e7ae0d6ee8ccc18 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/04da948604d58e22497f323ecb4e0a90.jpg af10d4a20ef420a5ba84f3996e4713b4 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/472543f63b394b1b0fd7c4fbce2a5fa2.jpg ee17c7b9c27d0f3e83b0be2cc49cfd31 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/0306e44e50db2f2b16a03cacf814fe05.jpg 5bd14231c040f5cd7202cf8413f34e79 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/e2e8bbab502224b051ba23c894716da0.jpg ce0aa641e80a32d80382c881e4857a2c https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/c1f4e46957f61e0e126cb750a894a61c.jpg 1b6b6f41198f7b18e0d96a9960f9b3a5 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/cad2c3e70ec715a551444fce2571add6.jpg c9f98c0d6cdbf78d381e20a1b6e6cb42 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sites of Slavery Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Description An account of the resource For this thematic grouping, sites of slavery are designated as historic places (including plantations, wharves, archaeological sites) where "slavery happened" and that commemorate enslaved Africans, their lives, and their labor. We include sites that act as memorials and often have sculpture, public art, or monuments located on their grounds.  Founded in 2014 as a museum, the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1218" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whitney Plantation</a> educates the public about the history of slavery in Louisiana and the brutal production of sugar along the Mississippi River, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The historic plantation complex comprises twelve historic structures including slave cabins, a kitchen, a jail, and the main house. This site of slavery includes four memorials: The Wall of Honor, Allées Gwendolyn Midlo Hall, The Field of Angels, and the 1811 German Coast Uprising Memorials. Other sites of slavery include the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1144" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACTe Mémorial </a>in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadaloupe, a memorial building and museum on the site of a former sugar plantation; the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1164" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valongo Wharf</a>, an archaeology site in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that was the debarkation point of an estimated 900,000 enslaved Africans; and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mémorial de l'abolition de l'esclavage</a> in Nantes, France, on the Quai de la Fosse along the Loire River, the symbolic departure point of slave ships that sailed from France to Africa. Additional sites to be added include the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park along the Alabama River in Montgomery, Alabama, and the African Ancestors Memorial Garden at the International African American Museum located on Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, South Carolina. Note: All sites of slavery in West Africa can be found under the theme of the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/collections/show/14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transatlantic Slave Trade/Middle Passage.</a> Updated January 26, 2026 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Buildings and Structures Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Whitney Plantation Museum (Edgard, Louisiana) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Cummings, John, 1938- (museum founder) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Louisiana--Edgard Louisiana--St. John the Baptist Parish Plantations--Louisiana Slavery--Louisiana Sugar--Social Aspects--History Subject (Object Type) History Museums Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Dedicated to the history of enslavement in the Louisiana, the Whitney Plantation is sited on the grounds where enslaved people labored in bondage for over 100 years. The historical site, museum, and memorials are located in St. John the Baptist Parish in Edgard, Louisiana. The museum is comprised of twelve historic structures including restored slave cabins, a kitchen, and the main house. Four memorials are also located on the grounds. The Wall of Honor is dedicated to all of the people who were enslaved at the Whitney Plantation including their names, places of origin, their skill, and dates of birth. The Allées Gwendolyn Midlo Hall memorial is is named for the histoiran Gwendolyn Midlo Hall (1929-2022). Hall created the Louisiana Slave Database to document the enslaved persons who lived in Louisiana from 1719-1820. She "rescued the identies" of thousands who were enslaved in the territory, and then, state. The memorial is made up of eighteen black granite walls engraved with the names of the 107,000 enslaved persons from the Louisiana Slave Database. The Field of Angels is dedicated to the 2,200 enslaved children who died in St. John the Baptist Parish (Louisiana) from 1823-1863, documented in the Sacramental Records of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. It includes a bronze statue of Black angel carrying a child to heaven and a low black granite, circular wall with the children's names engraved on it. The 1811 German Coast Uprising Memorial commemorates the largest slave revolt in U.S. history that took place on January 8-10, 1811. Enslaved persons from St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes rose up and planned to walk to New Orleans. They were stopped after a battle with local white militia. Dozens of enslaved persons were condemned to death and beheaded. Artist Woodrow Nash (b. 1948) created the 63 ceramic heads mounted on steel rods that make up the memorial. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource December 7, 2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Building and Structures Visual Arts-Sculpture Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 5099 Louisiana Highway 19, Edgard, Louisiana, 70449, United States Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The Whitney Plantation, 5099 Louisiana Highway 19, Edgard, Louisiana, 70449, United States Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Armstrong, Kalim. "Telling the Story of Slavery." The New Yorker, February 17, 2016. Accessed May 1, 2021. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/telling-the-story-of-slavery. Johnson, Jessica Marie. "Time, Space, Memory at Whitney Plantation." Black Perspectives, AAIHS, March 14, 2015. Accessed on February 17, 2025. https://www.aaihs.org/time-space-and-memory-at-the-whitney-plantation/. Whitney Plantation. Teaching and Learning About American Slavery: Educational Resources for All. Accessed February 6, 2026. https://whitneyplantation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Educational-Resources-About-American-Slavery-3.pdf. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Black granite; Bronze; Ceramic; Brick; Wood bronze historic architecture marble memorial wall names sugar https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/ef3a6a485eb1c5d26c0e6c78475df69e.jpg ef2fa2fe9b0d94f479d127288bf1bb73 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Resistance Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials in this section commemorate the enslaved and free men and women who resisted bondage and worked to end the institution of slavery. In her book, The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition (2016), historian Manisha Sinha examines the long history of Black resistance to chattel slavery. Resistance to enslavement took many forms—from rebellions aboard slave ships and on plantations to the enslaved slowing the pace of work, breaking tools, feigning illness, and escaping from bondage. The works in this section honor these diverse histories of resistance. The <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1122" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amistad Memorial</a> in New Haven, Connecticut, recognizes Sengbe Pieh, who led a revolt of abducted Africans against their captors on the Spanish slave ship, the Amistad; the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Three Rebel Queens of the Virgin Islands</a> in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, celebrates the women of the Fireburn Revolt of 1878; and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaspar Yanga</a> statue highlights a seventeenth-century self-emancipated leader of a maroon colony near Veracruz, Mexico. In the near future, we will add more commemorative works from the Caribbean to this theme including monuments and memorials in Antigua, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 120 x 48 x 48 in. (304.8 x 121.92 x 121.92 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dred and Harriet Scott Statue (St. Louis, Missouri) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Weber, Harry, 1942- Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Enslaved persons--Emancipation--United States Missouri--St. Louis Public art Public sculpture Resistance Slavery--Missouri Subject (Name) Scott, Dred, 1799-1858 Scott, Harriet, 1815-1876 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Extent The size or duration of the resource. 120 x 48 x 48 in. (304.8 x 121.92 x 121.92 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 8, 2012 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dred Scott Heritage Foundation: Lynne M. Jackson; National Park Service; Vladimir Zhitomirsky, VMD Sculpting; McCarthy Building Companies (Mark Smith, Mark Weiss and Dustin Roberts); KPFF Consulting Engineers; Rosch Companies; McFry Excavating; Geotechnology, Inc.; Rebar Specialist Inc.; Wilson Concrete, Vee-Jay Cement; Budrovich, Inc; Thomas Bradley and Frank Mares Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, 6128 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, 63112, United States Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Old Courthouse, 11 N 4th Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63102, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on base of work: Dred and Harriet Scott filed suit for their freedom at this courthouse in 1846. Their case reached the United States Supreme Court and was decided in 1857. The court ruled that the Scotts and all African Americans were not citizens of the United States. Opposition to the decision was one of the causes of the Civil War and led to the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution. The Scotts' struggle for freedom stands as a defining moment in the history of the Civil Rights Movements. Dedicated June 8, 2012 Gift of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation Harry Weber, Sculptor Description An account of the resource A figurative statue of Dred and Harriet Scott. Dred Scott wears a suit with tie. He reaches his left arm behind Harriet Scott, embracing her; they also hold hands. Harriet Scott wears a full-length dress and turns her head upward. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dred_and_Harriet_Scott_Statue_2_(8257d8fd-c3a1-3d14-164d-d0961fc37038).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a> Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Weber, Harry. "About: Dred and Harriet Scott." Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. Accessed April 30, 2021. https://racstl.org/public-art/dred-and-harriet-scott/. bronze figurative portrait