13 10 134 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/103f00c2694b636c92d936855fbc8505.jpeg 4546941be4d8171d83533a5d1581b049 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 Transatlantic Slave Trade Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource This collection focuses on commemorative works dedicated to the transatlantic slave trade and the Middle Passage. Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, between ten million and twelve million enslaved Africans were forcibly taken across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. The Middle Passage refers to the Atlantic route between Africa and the Americas that was part of the transatlantic slave trade. Historians believe that between 15 and 25 percent of the enslaved Africans perished aboard the overcrowded, unsanitary slave ships. The works in this thematic group address the violence and trauma of the transatlantic slave trade in various ways. Monuments such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Ark of Return</a> on the grounds of the United Nations in New York City, and <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1135" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Middle Passage Monument</a> in St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands, use abstraction to commemorate the victims of the transatlantic slave trade. Other memorials such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kumbukumbu Ya Historia Ya Watumwa</a> in Stone Town, Zanzibar, and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1166" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atorkor Slave-Trade Memorial</a> (Atorkor, Ghana), use figuration to evoke human presence. Memorialization efforts from Senegal to present-day Nigeria are tied to The Slave Route Project run by UNESCO. Launched in 1994 in Ouidah, Benin, the Slave Route Project has three primary objectives: <ul> <li>Contribute to a better understanding of the causes, forms of operation, stakes and consequences of slavery in the world (Africa, Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, Middle East and Asia).</li> <li>Highlight the global transformations and cultural interactions that have resulted from this history.</li> <li>Contribute to a culture of peace by promoting reflection on inclusion, cultural pluralism, intercultural dialogue and the construction of new identities and citizenships. (See https://en.unesco.org/themes/fostering-rights-inclusion/slave-route#isc)</li> </ul> One way that The Slave Route Project fulfills its mission is to engage in "the preservation and promotion of sites and itineraries of memory related to the slave trade and slavery." Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura and 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 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 Mémorial Cap 110/Mémorial de l’Anse Caffard (Le Diamant, Martinique) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Martinique--Le Diamant Public art Public sculpture Slave ships Slavery--France Slavery--Martinique Transatlantic slave trade Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The memorial, which overlooks the sea, commemorates both the enslaved people who perished in a shipwreck off the coast of Martinique in 1830, and more generally, the tens of thousands of enslaved Africans who were taken to Martinique as part of the transatlantic slave trade. Arranged in a triangle the 15 concrete figures are presented as abstracted, geometrized forms, stripping away any individualizing facial or bodily features. The figures face the ocean, leaning forward, their eyes cast downwards and their mouths open, as if vocalizing a scream. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Valère, Laurent, 1959- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 22, 1998 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 Mémorial Cap 110, FX73+MCP, Le Diamant, Martinique Extent The size or duration of the resource. 98.4 x 58.8 x 22.8 in. (249.936 x 149.352 x 57.912 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Reinforced concrete; Sand and gravel from Trinidad Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Valère, Laurent. "Cap 110." Laurent Valère Art Studio. Accessed June 20, 2019. https://www.laurentvalereartstudio.com/cap-110-1. Curtius, Anny-Dominique Curtius. "Slavery Memorials." In Postcolonial Realms of Memory: Sites and Symbols in Modern France, eds. Etienne Achille, Chares Forsdick, and Lydie Moudileno, 167-185. Liverpool University Press, 2020. Conduru, Roberto. "Transnational Counter-monuments: Anti-Slavery and Pro-Freedom Memorials." ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, July 30, 2021. Accessed January 28, 2026, https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/transnational-counter-monuments/. 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="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statues-diamant-stephfr.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikipedia Commons</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Ville du Diamant, Hôtel de Ville du Diamant, 45 Rue Justin Rock, Le Diamant, 97223, Martinique Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ville du Diamant; Association des Jeunes de l'Anse-Cafard; Allianz France Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Front of information sign at site (French and English): Mémorial de l’Anse Caffard Anse Caffard Memorial Bienvenue Voici l'histoire de ces lieux: Le 8 avril 1830, vers midi, un bateau effectue d'étranges manoeuvres au large du Diamant, et vers cinq heures de l'après-midi, jette l'ancre, ici même, dans la parages dangereux de l'Anse Caffard. Un habitant du quartier, François Dizac, Géreur de l'Habitation Plage du Diamant, propriété du Comte de Latournelle, se rende compte du danger couru par la navire, mais une houle très forte l'empêche de mettre une pirogue à la mer pour prévenir le capitaine du péril imminent qu'il courait d'être jeté sur la côte. Il doit se borner à faire des signaux que la capitaine ne voit pas ou ne veut pas voir. A 23 heures, des cris et des craquements sinistres déchirent la nuit. Dizac et un groupe d'esclaves de l'Habitation, se rendent immédiatement sur les lieux pour découvir une vision d'horreur: Le bateau disloqué sur les rochers, avec ses passagers, pris dans la terrible furie de la mer déchainée. Les sauveteurs virent alors le mât de misaine, surchargé d'individus affolés se briser et etrainer définitivement dans l'écume et les rochers un grand nombre de personnes. Welcome Here's the story of this place: On 8th April 1830, around noon, a ship was carrying out strange maneuvers off the coast of Diamant and around five pm cast anchor in this very place on the dangerous coast of Anse Caffard (Caffard Cove). A resident of the neighborhood, François Dizac, manager of the Habitation Plage du Diamant, property of comte de Latournelle, realized the ship was in danger but a heavy swell prevented him from launching a boat to warn the captain that the ship ran the risk of running aground. He merely sent signals that the captain didn't see or didn't want to see. At 11 pm sinister cries and cracking sounds shattered the silence of the night. Dizac and a party of slaves from the Habitation were promptly  on the scene only to see a horrible sight: the ship dislocated on the rocks, its passengers tossed around by the raging seas. Then rescuers saw a great number of panic-stricken men holding firmly to the foremast which broke and carried them away once and for all into the foam and rocks. Back of information sign at site (French and English): Mémorial de l’Anse Caffard Anse Caffard Memorial Le bateau fut entièrement détruit, son nom et sa nationalité ne sont pas établis en l'état actuel des recherches historiques. Le lendemain, 9 Avril 1830, à l'aube, quarante six cadavres furent repêchés. Les corps des marins-négriers furent inhumés au cimetière du Diamant et les noyés africains, "à quelques distance du rivage," c'est à dire dans ce secteur. Quatre vingt six captifs, vingt six hommes  et soixante femmes, furent donc sauvés et recueillis par Dizac et les esclaves de son atelier avant d'être transférés vers Fort-du-France. Les rescapés étaient tous d'origine africaine. The ship was completely destroyed, its name and nationality have still not been established by historians. On the next day, 9th April 1830, at dawn, forty-six bodies were recovered. The slave traders bodies were buried at the Diamant cemetery and the African bodies "a short distance from the shore," at this very spot. Eighty-six captives, twenty-six men and sixty women were therefore saved and picked up by Dizac and the slaves of his estate before being transferred to Fort-de-France. The rescued were all Africans. Six blessés, dont l'état ne permettait pas le transport furent laissés provisoirement sur l'habitation d'un homme de couleur libre, aveugle, nommé Borromé, dont on retrouve la descendance ici même, à l'Anse Caffard. Aujourd'hui, rendant hommage aux victimes de cette tragédie, la ville du Diamant se souvient qu'ici, comme ailleurs, l'homme a impitoyablement asservi l'homme. Ce monument est orienté au cap 110 degrees, en direction du Golfe de Guinée, il a été érigé en mémoire des victimes inconnues de la traite et en invitation à la Fraternité entres les hommes. Six injured people who were not well enough to be transported were left temporarily at the "habitation" of a blind, free coloured man, named Borromé whose descendants can still be found here at Anse Caffard. Today, by paying tribute to the victims of this tragedy, the town of Diamant remembers that here and everywhere, man had ruthlessly enslaved man. This monument points 110 degrees to the Gulf of Guinea, it is erected in memory of the unknown victims of the slave trade and in celebration of human brotherhood. Fiche Technique Nombre de statues: 15 Matière: Béton armé avec utilisation de gravillons et de sable blanc de Trinidad et Tobago Hauteur: 2,5 m Poids: 4 tonnes par statue Poids total: 60 tonnes Orientation: 110 degrees Data Sheet Number of statues: 15 Material: Reinforced concrete with white grit and sand from Trinidad and Tobago Height: 2,5 meters (8 feet, 2 inches) Weight: 4 tons per statue Overall weight: 60 tons Orientation: 110 degrees Quelques explanation: La forme triangulaire fait référence au commerce du même nom (Europe, Afrique, Amériques). La couleur blanche est la couleur traditionnelle des sépultures dans la Caraibe. Elle marque la dimension funéraire de ces lieux où les corps des captifs Africains reposent. Le monument est orienté au cap 110, cap du Golfe de Guinée, d'où venait ce navire mystérieux. Further explanation: The triangular shape alludes to the trade of the same name (Europe, Africa, America). White is the traditional color worn in funerals in the Caribbean. It shows the funerary dimension of this place where about 40 Africans, men, women and children were buried. The monument points 110 degrees to the Gulf of Guinea this mysterious ship had come from. A l'initiative de la ville du Diamant, cette sculture de Laurent Valère, a été fabriquée à cla Martinique, a Trinité (Ateliers Prefakit) sous la Direction Technique de Eddie Vignon, la coordination Générale de Jean-Claude de Lafargue, a Régie de Danielle Martin, et l'Assistance Operationnelle des Agents des Services Techniques de la Ville du Diamant. Of this initiative on the town of Diamant, this sculpture by Laurent Valère was made in Martinique, in Trinité (Ateliers Prefakit) under the technical supervision of Eddie Vignon, the general coordination of Jean-Claude de Lafargue, under the control of Danielle Martin, and the operational assistance of the Agents of the technical department of the town of Diamant. abstract concrete figurative https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/37d22a59412fe26ba8bb488e0ef28b16.jpg 63c069dfa373297b6ce926c2191f8498 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 Abolition of Slavery Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource This grouping of commemorative works focus on the abolition of slavery in countries engaged with the slave trade including England, France, The Netherlands, and Spain. England enacted the Slave Trade Act of 1807, prohibiting the Atlantic slave trade in the British Empire. It did not abolish slavery in its colonies until the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act. France first abolished slavery on February 4, 1794, during the French Revolution. Napolean Bonaparte reinstituted slavery in France's colonies in 1802. Slavery was officially abolished in France with the Decree of the Abolition of Slavery of April 27, 1848. The Netherlands officially abolished slavery in its colonies (Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean) on July 1, 1863, but it was not until July 1, 1873, that enslaved persons were freed from state supervision on plantations. Spain abolished the slave trade in 1817 with a treaty with England, which was not enforced until 1820. However, slavery continued in its colonies. The Spanish National Assembly abolished slavery in Puerto Rico in 1863 and in Cuba in 1886. 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 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 Gilt of Cain (London, England) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Abolition of slavery England--London Public art Public sculpture Transatlantic slave trade Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Located near St. Mary Woolnoth Church, where the abolitionist William Wilberforce heard the anti-slavery sermons of the Rev. John Newton, the monument consists of seventeen carved granite columns clustered around a granite podium. The curvilinear forms of the columns recall the growing stems of sugarcane. According to the artists, the position of the columns and podium are meant to suggest a group of people “gathered to listen to a speaker – perhaps the Rev. Newton preaching against slavery, perhaps a trader auctioning his slaves, perhaps William Wilberforce campaigning in front of an audience.” Excerpts from Lemn Sissay's poem, The Gilt of Cain, are etched on the columns. The words are inscribed in the same typography used in early abolitionist literature printed near the site. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Visocchi, Michael (sculptor), 1977- Sissay, Lemn (poet), 1967- Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Black British Heritage; Parish of St Mary Woolnoth; City of London Corporation; British Land Company 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 120 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 5BA, England Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Plaque: Gilt of Cain by Michael Visocchi & Lemn Sissay This powerful sculpture was unveiled by the Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu on 4th September 2008. The sculpture commemorates the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in 1807, which began the process of the emancipation of slaves throughout the British Empire. Fen Court is the site of a churchyard formerly of St Gabriel’s Fenchurch St and now in the Parish of St Edmund the King and St Mary Woolnoth, Lombard St. The latter has a strong historical connection with the abolitionist movement of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Rev John Newton, a slave-trader turned preacher and abolitionist, was rector of St Mary Woolnoth from 1780 – 1807. Newton worked closely alongside the famous abolitionist William Wilberforce. The granite sculpture is composed of a group of columns surrounding a podium. The podium calls to mind an ecclesiastical pulpit or slave auctioneer’s stance, whilst the columns evoke stems of sugar cane and are positioned to suggest an anonymous crowd or congregation gathered to listen to a speaker. The artwork is the result of a collaboration between sculptor Michael Visocchi and poet Lemn Sissay. Extracts from Lemn Sissay’s poem, ‘Gilt of Cain’, are engraved into the granite. The poem skilfully weaves the coded language of the City’s stock exchange trading floor with biblical Old Testament references. Poem inscribed on work: "The Gilt of Cain By Lemn Sissay, 2007 Here is the ask price on the closed position, History is no inherent acquisition For here the Technical Correction upon the act, A merger of truth and in actual fact On the spot, on the money – the spread. The dealer lied when the dealer said The bull was charging the bear was dead, The market must calculate per capita, not head. And great traders acting in concert, arms rise As the actuals frought on the sea of franchise Thrown overboard into the exchange to drown In distressed brokers disconsolate frown. In accounting liquidity is a mounting morbidity But raising the arms with such rigid rapidity, Oh the reaping the raping rapacious fluidity, The violence the vicious and vexed volatility. The roaring trade floor rises above crashing waves: The traders buy ships, beneath the slaves. Sway machete back, sway machete again Cut back the sugar rush, Cain. The whipsaw it’s all and the whip saw it all The rising market and the cargo fall Who’ll enter “Jerusalem” make the margin call for Abel? Who will kick over the stall and turn the table? Cain gathers cane as gilt-gift to his land But whose sword of truth shall not sleep in hand? Who shall unlock the stocks and share? Break the bond the bind unbound - lay bare The truth. Cash flow runs deep but spirit deeper You ask Am I my brothers keeper? I answer by nature by spirit by rightful laws My name, my brother, Wilberforce. This project was initiated by Black British Heritage and the Parish of St Mary Woolnoth and was commissioned by the City of London Corporation in partnership with the British Land Company. Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Granite 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="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fen_Court_and_%22Gilt_of_Cain%22_Sculpture_(geograph_3302507).jpg" title="Gilt of Cain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a><a href="https://futurecity.co.uk/portfolio/gilt-of-cain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 4, 2008 Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. <a href="https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/gilt-of-cain-slave-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>London Remembers. "Gilt of Cain-Slave Trade." Accessed February 15, 2025. https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/gilt-of-cain-slave-trade. Rice, Alan. "Chapter One, Tracing Slavery's Routes and Looking Inside the Invisible: The Monumental Landscape and the African Atlantic." In Creating Memorials, Building Identities: The Politics of Memory in the Black Atlantic, 1-31. Liverpool University Press, 2010. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Art UK, c/o Staffordshire University Incubator Unit, 2nd Floor, Mellor Building, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DE, England abstract columns granite inscription poetry https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/efb04a8905f4aae7c6858ec2008ce5e0.jpg eebe7df111f470e0b7db92215c7df5dc 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 Transatlantic Slave Trade Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource This collection focuses on commemorative works dedicated to the transatlantic slave trade and the Middle Passage. Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, between ten million and twelve million enslaved Africans were forcibly taken across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. The Middle Passage refers to the Atlantic route between Africa and the Americas that was part of the transatlantic slave trade. Historians believe that between 15 and 25 percent of the enslaved Africans perished aboard the overcrowded, unsanitary slave ships. The works in this thematic group address the violence and trauma of the transatlantic slave trade in various ways. Monuments such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Ark of Return</a> on the grounds of the United Nations in New York City, and <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1135" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Middle Passage Monument</a> in St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands, use abstraction to commemorate the victims of the transatlantic slave trade. Other memorials such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kumbukumbu Ya Historia Ya Watumwa</a> in Stone Town, Zanzibar, and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1166" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atorkor Slave-Trade Memorial</a> (Atorkor, Ghana), use figuration to evoke human presence. Memorialization efforts from Senegal to present-day Nigeria are tied to The Slave Route Project run by UNESCO. Launched in 1994 in Ouidah, Benin, the Slave Route Project has three primary objectives: <ul> <li>Contribute to a better understanding of the causes, forms of operation, stakes and consequences of slavery in the world (Africa, Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, Middle East and Asia).</li> <li>Highlight the global transformations and cultural interactions that have resulted from this history.</li> <li>Contribute to a culture of peace by promoting reflection on inclusion, cultural pluralism, intercultural dialogue and the construction of new identities and citizenships. (See https://en.unesco.org/themes/fostering-rights-inclusion/slave-route#isc)</li> </ul> One way that The Slave Route Project fulfills its mission is to engage in "the preservation and promotion of sites and itineraries of memory related to the slave trade and slavery." Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura and 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 144  x 204 in. (365.76 x 518.16 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 Middle Passage Monument (Kingshill, St. Croix, USVI) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Public art Public sculpture St. Croix (USVI)--Kingshill Slavery--St. Croix (USVI) Transatlantic slave trade Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The twelve-foot-high memorial is composed of two large, thick aluminum arcs that bend towards each another but do not touch. The color has a silvery-gray tone and a matte surface etched with scratch-like patterns. It is installed on the grassy grounds of the St. Croix Educational Complex.  The monument commemorates the thousands of Africans who perished during the transatlantic slave trade. The version in St. Croix is a replica of the original memorial, which was ceremonially buried on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean—approximately 140 miles off the coast of New York Harbor — following an elaborate funeral procession and a blessing ceremony conducted by a multi-faith group of clergy in 1999. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Walsh, Michael, 1948- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Homeward Bound Foundation 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 Saint Croix Educational Complex High School, Centerline Road, Kingshill, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00850 Has Version A related resource that is a version, edition, or adaptation of the described resource. Original cast lowered to bottom of New York Harbor on July 3, 1999. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 144 x 204 in. (365.76 x 518.16 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Aluminum Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Kardux, Johanna C. "Monuments of the Black Atlantic: Slavery Memorials in the United States and The Netherlands." In Blackening Europe: The African American Presence, ed. Heike Raphael-Hernandez, 87-106. Routledge: 2004. Ater, Renée. "Slavery and Its Memory in Public Monuments." American Art 24, no. 1 (2010): 20-23. 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 by Michael Walsh Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. Croix Educational Complex High School, P6F2+4G3, Centerline Rd, St Croix 00820, U.S. Virgin Islands abstract aluminum https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/1b9f9d28475430765059a059a43787b2.jpg 7268cf848b31fc83b60b54a1c5e60661 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 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 Memorial Statue (Florence, Massachusetts) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Warren, Thomas Jay, 1958- Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Freedom Massachusetts--Florence Public art Public sculpture Women--Suffrage Subject (Name) Truth, Sojourner, c. 1797-1883 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The life-size bronze figure of Sojourner Truth stands at the center of a square concrete base. Truth is shown bespectacled, wearing a period-appropriate head covering, long scarf, and floor-length dress. Her arms are open at her side, in an inviting gesture. She holds a walking stick in her right hand. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://sojournertruthmemorial.org/about-us/memorial-statue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sojourner Truth Memorial Committee</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 6, 2002 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Sojourner Truth Memorial Statue Committee; Massachusetts Monument Grants program; Florence Savings Bank; Smith College; Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; Denig Design Associates of Northampton 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 Sojourner Truth Memorial Park, 121 Pine Street, Florence, Massachusetts, 01062, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Bronze plaque set in concrete (1): The Northhampton Association of Education and Industry was a number of utopian communities that arose during in the 1840s. Its members were ardent abolitionists who believed in equality for blacks and women. The Association served as a haven for radical reformers and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Sojourner Truth and David Ruggles, a well-known African-American abolitionist, were valued members. Engaged in silk manufacturing and other economic activities, the Association paid all workers equally. Frederick Douglass remembers its people as "the most democratic I have ever met. There was no high, no low, no masters, no servants, no white, no black."  In 1993, the Committee for Northampton was formed to dismantle racism and to call for social justice. This memorial was inspired by the life of Sojourner Truth and the interracial community to which she belonged. Welcome to this site and to this cause. Bronze plaque set in concrete (2): Sojourner Truth was born a slave named Isabella in upstate New York in 1797. She worked for a series of five masters while raising five children. When slavery ended in New York State in 1827, she settled in New York City. A deeply religious woman, Isabella took the name Sojourner Truth after God spoke to her. She was 46 years old when she set out walking and preaching through Long Island and Connecticut. Eventually, she reached Massachusetts and joined the Northampton Association of Education and Industry. From her home here in what is now Florence, Truth broadened her mission and began speaking out for the abolition of slavery and for women's rights. Small bronze plaque: A gift to the City of Northampton 2002 Sculptor: Thomas Jay Warren Landscape Architect: Denig Design Associates <a href="http://www.johnsendelbach.com/2023/06/sojourner-truth-memorial-florence-ma.html"></a> Bronze plaque set in concrete (3): After the demise of the Northampton Association, Samuel L. Hill and others founded the factory village of Florence. With Hill's help, Sojourner Truth brought her home on Park Street. Unable to read or write, Truth dictated her story to a neighbor, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, was published in 1850. She became well-known as an orator, singer, evangelist, abolitionist and reformer, selling her Narrative and photographs of herself throughout the nation.  Although she moved to Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1857, she was fondly remembered in Florence, where her wisdom and wit were especially valued. Samuel Hill noted that his long aquaintance with Sojourner Truth confirmed her "title to the name you have chosen, and its record in humanity's 'Book of Life.' Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Concrete Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Sojourner Truth Memorial Committee. “Memorial Statue.” Accessed October 31, 2019. https://sojournertruthmemorial.org/about-us/memorial-statue/. Western Massachusetts Master Gardner Association. "Sojourner Truth Memorial Park." Accessed February 19, 2025. https://www.wmmga.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=101643&module_id=227884. Mass Moments. "Northampton Dedicates Sojourner Truth Statue." October 4, 2022. Accessed October 31, 2019. https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/northampton-dedicates-sojourner-truth-statue.html. 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 Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association, 481 Station Road, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01002, United States bronze concrete figurative portrait 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 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/d4dbce60899b4fc20122a8ae82ebe46a.JPG 65361dae76cb37f23fdd85cd69a6c29e https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/560cfd3225954cb3b87e93efe88545de.JPG 08a4033ec882f80fbfa5450f7e00768e https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/5289baabf728d2eb3e3988b18fbd9bff.JPG 9be4f3542847d539d2ac8c4544a84f63 https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/6258a1efa74542c3911d9a274a0e49c8.JPG f9651c5fc8b85e73f5ec5afcc4a6218e 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 United States Colored Troops (USCT) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource Included in this thematic collection are seventeen memorials that honor the vital contributions of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) to the Union victory during the American Civil War. The first all-Black units formed unofficially in Louisiana (Louisiana Native Guard, 1862); South Carolina (First South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, 1862-63); and Kansas (First Kansas Colored Infantry, 1862-63). The first official authorization to employ African Americans in federal service was the Second Confiscation and Militia Act of July 17, 1862. The Confiscation Act allowed Union officers to free enslaved men and put them to work as army laborers. However, Abraham Lincoln did not fully authorize the use of Black men in combat until the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Beginning in late January 1863, Governor John A. Andrews of Massachusetts raised the first regiment of Black soldiers in the North, the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass helped recruit men for the Massachusetts 54th, famously issuing a call to free African American men to join the Union Army. In a speech, “Men of Color, To Arms!”, delivered in Rochester, New York on March 2, 1863, Douglass urged his fellow free men of color to fight for the end of slavery and for their freedom: "By every consideration which binds you to your enslaved fellow-countrymen, and the peace and welfare of your country; by every aspiration which you cherish for the freedom and equality of yourselves and your children; by all the ties of blood and identity which make us one with the brave black men now fighting our battles in Louisiana and in South Carolina, I urge you to fly to arms, and smite with death the power that would bury the government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave." On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order No. 143, authorizing the creation of the Bureau of Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, over 200,000 men, including white officers, served in 175 regiments of the USCT, which made up ten percent of the Union army. The compiled military records of the men who served in the USCT can be found in the National Archives and Records Administration. 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 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 Memorial to the 2nd Regiment Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops (Fort Myers, Florida) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Florida--Fort Myers Public art Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The over life-sized work depicts a sergeant in the United States Colored Troops 2nd Regiment standing in front of an open gate within a wall. The soldier is framed by two granite plaques mounted on each wall. The plaque on the left is a description of the important contribution of the 2nd Regiment during the Civil War. The plaque on the right contains a poem, written by D.J. Wilkins. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkins, D. J., 1945-2021 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 November 11, 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fort Myers Beautification Advisory Board; City of Fort Myers, Florida Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Fort Myers, 2200 Second Street, Fort Myers, Florida, 33901, 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 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Centennial Park, 2000 W First St, Fort Myers, FL 33901, United States Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Clayton Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on left plaque: This Memorial is dedicated to The 2nd Regiment Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops and Companies D and I which served at The Battle of Fort Myers. On July 20, 1861, U.S. Army Officer Major French wrote to U.S. Naval Officer McKean, "I have information that a schooner fitted out as a slaver is in the Caloosahatchee River. Her appointments, I am told, are full...." On February 20, 1865, Confederates of the 1st Battalion, Florida Special Cavalry attacked Fort Myers. The attack erupted into a cannon duel with the 2nd USCT in charge of artillery. The New York Times reported: "The colored soldiers [at Fort Myers] were in the thick of the fight. Unconscious of danger,their constant cry was to 'get at them'...." At nightfall, the Confederate force withdrew. A Confederate participant later recalled: "It was seen that nothing was accomplished." The Battle of Fort Myers marked the final action of the 2nd USCT in South Florida. Companies D and I left Fort Myers in March of 1865. Fort Myers was then decommissioned. USCT Troops freed and enlisted over 1,000 of the enslaved in Florida during the Civil War." Inscription on right plaque: In Freedom Cover Me The war between the states it's called to make us all one people one man's bullet is another man's death in this God makes us equal. The men who died in the fight today all knew this was the start of some new age yet undefined of which we're all a part. This Union Flag I stand beneath is what's protecting me from a life of moral death a life in slavery. When muskets fire if I should fall in freedom cover me with these stars from this flag like leaves from God's great tree. - Clayton Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Granite; Concrete Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Calligan, Tara. "An About-Face: A Monument Honoring Black Union Soldiers is Re-Turned to Face Centennial Park in Downtown Fort Myers." WGCU PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida, July 31, 2022. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://www.wgcu.org/2022-07-29/about-face-a-monument-honoring-black-union-soldiers-turns-towards-centennial-park. Alan Skerrett, Jr, ed. "Monuments to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) [African American Civil War Soldiers: The List." Jubilo! The Emancipation Century Blog, May 30, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://jubiloemancipationcentury.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/monuments-to-the-united-states-colored-troops-usct-the-list/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater bronze Civil War concrete figurative granite inscription poetry https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/58d9f6baaac4bd675804681977e0bdb3.jpg 528fbd511bda5718d6fbd7daa160bdbf 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 Building and Structure 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 Mémorial de l'abolition de l'esclavage (Nantes, France) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Abolition of slavery France--Nantes Slave ships Slavery--France Transatlantic slave trade Subject (Object Type) Memorial Description An account of the resource Erected as a space to remember the atrocities of slavery and to commemorate all past and present efforts to resist it, the memorial was constructed in Nantes—the former center of the French slave trade. Designed by an artist and an architect, it features an open-air staircase that leads to an underground space marked by strong geometric lines and a raw aesthetic. A long passageway, lined with subtle lighting showcases a series of wall panels that highlight key historical moments leading to the abolition of the slave trade. The memorial's clean, minimalist design invites quiet reflection. For an in-depth discussion of the memorial, see the website of the Mémorial de l'abolition de l'esclavage Nantes: https://memorial.nantes.fr/en/discovery/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wodiczko, Krzysztof (artist), 1943- Bonder, Julian (architect), 1962- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 25, 2012 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 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Quai de la Fosse, Passerelle Victor-Schoelcher, 44000 Nantes, France Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. "Discover the Memorial." Mémorial de l'abolition de l'esclavage Nantes. Accessed December 19, 2025. https://memorial.nantes.fr/en/. Furuto, Alison. "Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery / Wodiczko + Bonder." July 26, 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed December 19, 2025. https://www.archdaily.com/256516/memorial-to-the-abolition-of-slavery-wodiczko-bonder. Frith, Nicola. "The Art of Reconciliation: The Memorial to Abolition of Slavery in Nantes." In At the Limits of Memory: Legacies of Slavery in the Francophone World, eds. Nicola Frith and Kate Hodson, 68-89. Liverpool University Press, 2015. CIPDH-UNESCO. "Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery." Memorias Situadas: Sites of Memory Related to Serious Human Rights Violations. Accessed February 10, 2026. https://www.cipdh.gob.ar/memorias-situadas/en/lugar-de-memoria/memorial-de-la-abolicion-de-la-esclavitud/. 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="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mémorial_Abolition_Esclavage_-_Nantes_(FR44)_-_2022-09-18_-_1.jpg" title="Mémorial de l'abolition de l'esclavage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a> Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Concrete; Corten steel; Glass; Wood Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Consultants Thomas Long, Design Collaboration & Visualization, Graphic Design; Snehal Intwala, Nicholas Capone, James Shen, Ryan McClain, Bill Panasuik, Emmanuelle Chérel (Research); Patrick Charles (Design; Technical Consultant); Maximo Rohm, Ron Henderson, Michael Blier, (Landscape Consultants – USA). Glass Consultants: James Carpenter, James Carpenter Design Associates (preliminary phase); RFR Engineurs, Paris – Philippe Bompas & Nicolo Baldassini (development & construction). Historic Advisors: David Blight, Gilder Lehrman Center on Slavery, Resistance & Abolition, Yale University; Sven Beckert, Harvard University; Kirk Savage, Pittsburgh University; Vince Brown, Duke University. Ville Nantes– Nantes Métropole: Jean-Marc Ayrault, Former Député-Maire de Nantes / Current French Prime Minister; Yannick Guin, conseiller municipal; Octave Cestor, conseiller municipal; Marie-Hélène Jouzeau, directrice Patrimoine et tourisme; Hervé Guégan, chef de projets, Atelier urbain, Nantes Métropole; Jean-Pierre Brindel, directeur Atelier urbain, Nantes Métropole; Aurélie Roger, directeur projets Atelier urbain, Nantes Métropole. Maitre D’Oeuvre: Arcadis Engineurs, Gildas Legall, Bruno Vasseur, Francois Bailly; Roulleau Architectes, Nantes – Michel Roulleau, Jean Marie Beslou. Construction: General Construction: DLE Ouest, Nicholas Boterf; Glass Wall: Polar, Torino, Paolo Cherasco; Inserts: Atelier Barrois, Brioude, Emmanuel Barrois; Lighting: Citelum, Nantes; Landscape: ISIS Espaces Vertes, Nantes; Steel/Metals: CMR, St. Nazaire, Nantes Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Château des Ducs de Bretagne, Musée d’Histoire de Nantes 4, place Marc Elder, 44000 Nantes, France Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Glass plaque with Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Glass plaques with the word "freedom" translated into 47 languages: Freedom (English) Freiheit (German) Libertad (Spanish) Vrijheid (Dutch) Liberdade (Portuguese) Frihed (Danish) Frihet (Norwegian) Свобода (Russian) Vryheid (Swedish) Huriya (Arabic) Yεrεma honron ya (Bambara) Fכundi (Baoulé) Libèté (Haitian creole) Libèté (Cuban creole) Libèté (Jamaican creole) Libèté (Barbadian creole) Libèté (Louisiana creole) Liberdade (Brazilian creole) Liberte (Reunionnais creole) Liberte (Mauritian creole) Libèté (Guadeloupean creole) Libèté (Guyanese creole) Hכrכnya / Hôrônya (Diola) ablɔɖe (Ewé (Togo) Fahodzi (Fang Cameroon) mɛɖesusi jijɛ (Fongbe) Vryheid (Khoïsan) Kimpwanza (Kikongo) Ufolo (Kimbundu) Fahafahana (Malagasy) Hכrכnya / Hôrônya (Malinké) Foroyaa (Mandinka) Hכrכnya / Hôrônya (Senufo) jeg a xoox of (Serer) Xornimo (Somali) Hכrכnya / Hôrônya (Susu) Uhuru (Swahili) Ahofadi (Twi) Lipanda (Vili) Mom sa bop (Wolof) Inkululeko (Xhosa) òmìniraàyèìjælá ìlúayélujára (Yoruba) Inkululeko (Zulu) Yancìì (Hausa) fridɔm (Krio) lɛgbɔɔɓa (Kpelewo) 90-meter glass plate wall with quotations (Grand Passage): Derek Walcott, "Memory," in The Sea is History, 1979 "Where are your monuments, your battles, martyrs? Where is your tribal memory? Sirs, in that gray vault. The sea. The sea has locked them up. The sea is History." Où sont vos monuments, vos batailles, martyrs? Oú est votre mémoire tribale? Messieurs, dans ce gris coffre-fort. La mer. La mer les a enfermés. La mer est l’Histoire. Mary Prince, The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian slave, related by herself, 1831 (Bermudes) "I then saw my sisters led forth, and sold to different owners; so that we had not the sad satisfaction of being partners in bondage. When the sale was over, my mother hugged and kissed us, and mourned over us, begging of us to keep up a good heart, and do our duty to our new masters. It was a sad parting; one went one way, one another, and our poor mother went home with nothing." Puis j’ai vu mes soeurs être emmenées et vendues à différents propriétaires pour que nous n’ayons pas la maigre consolation d’être partenaires dans l’esclavage. À a fin de la vente, ma mère nous a prises dans ses bras, embrassées, pleurées et suppliées de garder un cœur blanc et d’obéir à nos nouveaux maîtres. Ce furent des adieux déchirants; nous sommes parties chacune de notre côté, et notre pauvre maman est rentrée seule á la maison." Victor Schrelcher, Des colonies françaises, 1842 (France) “Si, comme le disent les colons, on ne peut cultiver les Antilles qu’avec des esclaves, il faut renoncer aux Antilles. La raison d’utilité de la servitude pour la conservation des colonies est de la politique de brigands. Une chose criminelle ne doit pas être necessaire. Périssent les colonies, plutôt qu’un principe.” Quotations include the words of Paul Laraque (1994), Adam Smith (1776), Frederick Douglass (1845), Toussaint Louverture (1793), Olaudah Equiano (1789), Abraham Lincoln (1863), Olympe de Gouges (1788), Léger-Félicité Sonthonax (1793), Bob Marley (1980), Frantz Fanon (1952), Axel Gauvin (1983), Abbé Grégoire (1822), Martin Luther King (1963), Aimé Césaire (1939), Toni Morrison (1987), Nelson Mandala (1994), Louis Timagène (1844), Maryse Romanos (1998), Louis Delgrès (1802), and Léopold Sedar Senghor (1977). For a booklet with all of the quotations etched into the glass wall at the Mémorial, see https://memorial.nantes.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/citations_francais.pdf. Chronology of Abolition (west end of Grand Passage): 1777: Abolition of slavery in Vermont. 1780: Progressive emancipation of slaves in Pennsylvania. 1783: Progressive emancipation of slaves in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Progressive emancipation of slaves in Rhode Island and Connecticut. August, 26 1789: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, France. 1793: The commissioner of the Republic, Monsieur Sonthonax, abolished slavery in the French possession of Saint-Domingue. 1794: The Convention voted the decree of the abolition of slavery, extending Sonthonax’s abolition to the other French colonies. 1802: Reinstatement of the slave trade by Napoleon Bonaparte in compliance with the laws existing before 1789. 1803: Abolition of the slave trade in Denmark. 1804: Abolition of slavery in Haiti. 1806: Britain banned the slave trade for British subjects. 1807: The United States banned the importation of captives and slaves. Britain banned the slave trade on African coasts. Abolition of slavery in Prussia. 1808: The United States banned the slave trade. 1814: Holland banned the slave trade. 1815: During the Vienna Congress, the principal European powers (Austrian Empire, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Russia, and Sweden) made a commitment to end the slave trade. But the practice persisted undercover. During the Hundred Days, Napoleon 1st signed a decree banning the slave trade. 1817: French Law abolished the slave trade. It was reinstated on April 25, 1827 and on February 2, 1831. 1821: Peru: all descendants of slaves born after this date were free, progressive emancipation of those born earlier and prohibition of the slave trade. 1822: Abolition of slavery in Santo Domingo. The state of Liberia was founded in West Africa by an American Colonization Company for the resettlement of former slaves. 1823: Abolition of slavery in Chile. 1824: Abolition of slavery in Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Belize, Salvador, Guatemala. 1826: Abolition of slavery in Bolivia. 1827: Second French law banning the slave trade. 1829: Abolition of slavery in Mexico. 1830: Abolition of slavery in Uruguay. 1833-1838: Enactment of the Abolition bill that provides for a progressive abolition of slavery in the British colonies (West Indies, British Guiana, Mauritius and India). 1836: Complete abolition of slavery in the British colonies. Abolition of slavery in Nicaragua. 1840 and 1843: Global anti-slavery convention in London. 1842: Abolition of slavery in Uruguay and Paraguay. 1846: Abolition of slavery in Tunisia. 1846-1848: Abolition of slavery in the Danish Virgin Island colonies. Saint-Thomas, Saint-Jean, Sainte-Croix. 1847: Abolition of slavery in the Swedish colony of Saint-Barthélemy. 1848: The abolition of slavery was decreed on April 27, 1848 in the French colonies (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guiana, The Reunion Island). 1850: Official abolition of the slave trade in Brazil. However it continued illegally. 1851: Abolition of slavery in Columbia and Ecuador. 1853: Abolition of slavery in Argentina. 1854: Abolition of slavery in Venezuela, Jamaica, and Peru. 1861: Ban of serfdom in Russia. 1863: Abolition of slavery in the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean and Indonesia. 1865: Enactment of the 13th Amendment banning slavery in the United States. 1866: Spanish decree banning the slave trade. 1869: Abolition of slavery in Portuguese colonies. 1873: Abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico, a Spanish colony at the time. 1876: Abolition of slavery in Turkey. 1885: Adoption of measures against slavery in Africa at the Berlin Conference. 1886: Abolition of slavery in Cuba. 1888: Effective abolition of slavery in Brazil. For the full chronology, see the website of the Mémorial de l'abolition de l'esclavage Nantes: https://memorial.nantes.fr/en/key-dates-in-the-chronology-of-abolitions/#contenu. concrete Corten steel etched glass slave ship wood https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/227fcca055883a0d10219743558ff0f5.jpg a392acd856e1cb414545e9b0593fe107 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 156 in. (396.24 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 The Beacon of Hope: Harriet Tubman Monument (Cambridge, Maryland) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Enslaved persons--Emancipation Freedom Maryland--Cambridge Public art Public sculpture Underground Railroad Subject (Name)  Tubman, Harriet, 1822-1913 Subject (Object Type): Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Facing true North, a bronze monument of Harriet Tubman and her younger self, Araminta Ross, stands atop a granite base. With her right foot planted firmly on an oxen yoke, Tubman uses her left foot to propel herself upward. She gazes into the eyes of Araminta Ross, handing her a golden key. Tubman's right hand is raised, encircled by a rose compass—both adorned in gold leaf. Araminta Ross’ hand hovers over the key as she looks up at Harriet Tubman. She is seated atop countless chains and shackles, some open and others closed. The base features rugged steps on either side of the figures, with inscriptions on both the front and back. Parallel to the monument, an open-faced book atop a podium presents an overview of Tubman's life.  The back of the podium features the sculptor Wesley Wofford's description of the monument in his own words. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wofford, Wesley, 1972- Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://harriettubmanbyway.org/newhtbw/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DayOfResilience_Sept2022_ByJillJasuta-4023.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jill Jasuta</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 10, 2022 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rock of Ages (granite base); William V. Sipple & Son Monuments (base engraving); Alpha Genesis Community Development Corporation (funder); The City of Cambridge (granite base); Dorchester County Government (site preparation) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Cambridge, 410 Academy Street, Cambridge, Maryland, 21613, 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 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Dorchester County Circuit Courthouse, 206 High Street Cambridge, Maryland, 21613, United States Has Version A related resource that is a version, edition, or adaptation of the described resource. Wesley Wofford made a traveling version of this monument without the figure of young Araminta Ross. Instead, Harriet Tubman looks and holds her hand out to the public. See <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1246" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Traveling Exibition: Harriet Tubman - The Beacon of Hope</a> in this database. Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Blue gray granite; Gold leaf; Concrete; Brick Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. “‘Beacon of Hope’ Statue Honors Tubman in Her Homeland.” Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, May 21, 2024. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://harriettubmanbyway.org/new-beacon-of-hope-harriet-tubman-statue-finds-permanent-home-in-her-homeland/. Miller, Lauren. “The Beacon of Hope Statue Has Been Unveiled.” WBOC, September 10, 2022. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://www.wboc.com/news/the-beacon-of-hope-statue-has-been-unveiled/article_0bb23378-316c-11ed-91b1-8fe4ec0d16d4.html. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 156 in. (396.24 cm) Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on the front of the base: HARRIET TUBMAN BORN ARAMINTA ROSS 1822 DORCHESTER COUNTY MARYLAND Inscription on the back of the base: ARAMINTA ROSS, ENSLAVED CHILD OF THIS LAND NOURISHED BY THE LOVE OF HER FAMILY FORTIFIED BY HER COMMUNITY AND GOD EDUCATED BY MOTHER NATURE FORGED BY FATHER TIME COURAGES OF HEART, OBSERVER OF INJUSTICE EYES SKYWARD, DESTINY’S KEY IN HAND DAUGHTER OF SLAVERY, NOW HARRIET TUBMAN LEADER TO FREED . . . OUR NORTH STAR Left (verso) page of the inscription on the book atop the Tubman biographical bronze podium: Harriet Tubman (c. March 1822 – March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist, political activist, liberator, nurse, war hero and human rights advocate. Born Araminta Ross to enslaved parents in Dorchester County, Maryland, she made the treacherous journey north in 1849, hoping to escape slavery and the constant fear of being sold south. She settled in Philadelphia and changed her name to Harriet, after her mother. Soon thereafter, despite the danger, Tubman returned to Maryland to rescue her family. One of her first daring rescues was from here, the site of the Dorchester County Courthouse. She subsequently made at least 13 missions to liberate approximately 70 enslaved people, using a network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. Right (recto) page of the inscription on the book atop the Tubman biographical bronze podium: It was Tubman’s experiences in Dorchester County — both horrific slavery and love of God and family — that were the basis for forming her into the woman she became. Her legacy and her commitment to the ideals of true freedom and equality have made her an icon of courage and determination that is still relevant today. The impetus for this sculpture came during a tumultuous time for our country, a time of heightened social unrest coupled with a deadly pandemic. Yet, in Dorchester County, a grassroots movement arose, uniting a diverse community inspired by our shared admiration and respect for Tubman’s legacy. Two hundred years after Tubman’s birth, we unveiled “The Beacon of Hope” in 2022, celebrating our common experiences and shared values that form a foundation of respect and admiration to build a more equitable future. Inscription on the back of the Tubman biographical bronze podium, artist statement: HARRIET TUBMAN The Beacon of Hope Not far from here, Araminta Ross was struck in the head with a scale counterweight at the Bucktown General Store, an injury she attributed to her having visions. In many ways this event marked the beginning of Harriet Tubman’s own storied journey towards freedom which resulted in the liberation of hundreds of other enslaved people. As young Araminta lifted herself from the ground, she had her first vision of the strong woman she would become. The sculpture depicts Harriet reaching down to help her younger self up and offering her a key to remove the shackle from her little arm. Also, with this “generational key” Araminta unlocked her inner strength to forge her own destiny: the rebirth of Araminta Ross as Harriet Tubman. The oxen yoke is a metaphor for the yoke of slavery and Harriet crushes this broken obstacle to the point of snapping it. It also illustrates Dorchester County’s legendary story of young Minty single handedly steering a team of oxen for her father. The pilled shackles and chains depict all of the lives adversely affected by the scourge of slavery. The open shackles represent those freed by Harriet while the locked ones depict those left behind. The close manacles also symbolize the unfinished work ahead of us essential to achieving a just and equitable future for all. While Harriet used the North Star to navigate out of bondage, she then became the compass rose to the thousands of enslaved who followed her guiding to Freedom — Wesley Wofford, FNSS Sculptor Transcription of audio that plays from QR code on the back of the Tubman biographical bronze podium: Hello, my name is Wesley Wofford. I'm the sculptor of the Beacon of Hope, the statue where you are currently standing. I just wanted to point out a couple of special things about the statue for you to discover as you walk around it. This is an origin story statue of Harriet Tubman, so Araminta Ross was born an enslaved child here in Dorchester County. There was an event in the Bucktown General Store where she was hit in the head with a two-pound weight; and, I invite you to find the two-pound weights lying at her feet; and, in that moment, she was knocked on conscious and she attributes that event to her future visions. She also attributes that event to becoming Harriet Tubman. So this sculpture is about the young Araminta Ross having her first vision and the vision is of her future self giving her the inner strength to forge her own destiny. Look for the key. There's a generational key and it's also a key that will unlock the shackle on her arm. There's lots of symbolism built into the piece, but it's meant so that it can be reinterpreted by the viewers and their own perspectives. I invite you to use your own perspectives to find something meaningful in the sculpture that directly relates to you. The other part of the story of the statue is that Harriet Tubman used the North Star to navigate out of Cambridge to freedom and she later became that North Star for others to follow; thus, the transformation of her hand into the North Star via the symbol of a rose compass, and so she becomes a symbol of strength that we can all draw from two hundred years later. bronze chains concrete figurative granite North Star shackles https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/141d9dbb2e7881a7852412eed9dbb906.jpeg df303338c5cabb6ae7566606365cda3c 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 108 in. (274.32 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 The Traveling Exhibition: Harriet Tubman - The Journey to Freedom (Montgomery, Alabama) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Alabama--Montgomery Antislavery movements--United States Enslaved persons--Emancipation Freedom Public art Public sculpture Underground Railroad Subject (Name): Tubman, Harriet, 1822-1913 Subject (Object Type): Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The sculpture depicts Harriet Tubman and a young girl caught in brisk motion against the wind, navigating treacherous terrain. Tubman’s left foot rests on an elevated platform, propelling them forward while her right foot pushes upward toward the incline. She grips the collar of her jacket with her left hand, as her right arm twists back to support the girl following behind her. The girl holds Tubman’s right arm with her left hand and grasps Tubman's right index finger between her thumb and forefinger. Tubman’s skirt partially covers the girl’s lower half. Near the girl’s bare feet lie a set of broken shackles. This monument was created in 2020 with the intention of traveling across the United States. Since then, the monument has traveled to the following locations: The Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Pavilion in Montgomery, Alabama (2020); Harriet Tubman Museum in Cape May, New Jersey (2020 and 2021); Dorchester County Courthouse in Cambridge, Maryland (2020); Newburgh Free Library in Newburgh, New York (2020); Jan Peek Square in Peekskill, New York (2020); Halifax State Historic Site in Halifax, North Carolina (2021); Haverstraw African American Memorial Park in Haverstraw, New York (2021); Bridge Park in Sylva, North Carolina (2021); Philadelphia City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2022); Renaissance Plaza in White Plains, New York (2022); The Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, New York (2022); Washington Square Park in Rochester, New York (2022); Ulster County Office Building in Kingston, New York (2022-2023); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (2023); Button Farm Living History Center in Germantown, Maryland (2023); The Frampton Plantation House in Yemassee, South Carolina (2023); Joseph Rainey Park in Georgetown, South Carolina (2023); Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina (2023-2024); Legacy Plaza in Montgomery, Alabama (2024); The Kerr Community Center in Bastrop, Texas (2024); and the International African American Museum in Charlestown, South Carolina (2024). Additional locations are scheduled for 2025 and beyond. For the sake of clarity, CMSP has decided to document this monument only once, based on the details from its initial unveiling. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wofford, Wesley, 1972- Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph by Wofford Sculpture Studios Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 28, 2020 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Wesley Wofford, Wofford Sculpture Studio, P.O. Box 2927, Cashiers, North Carolina, 28717, 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 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant The Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Pavilion, 122 Commerce Street Montgomery, Alabama, 36104, United States 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 Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Wofford, Wesley. “Harriet Tubman - The Journey to Freedom - Wofford Sculpture Studio.” Accessed August 13, 2024. https://www.woffordsculpturestudio.com/exhibitions/harriet-tubman. Welsh, Mickey. "The New Harriet Tubman Statue at the EJI Pavilion." Montgomery Advertiser, February 1, 2020. Accessed August 13, 2024. https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2020/02/01/new-harriet-tubman-statue-eji-pavilion/4633204002/. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 108 in. (274.32 cm) Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on the front of the base: THE JOURNEY TO FREEDOM Inscription on the back of the base: HARRIET TUBMAN Beside the monument, a plaque reads: HARRIET TUBMAN - THE JOURNEY TO FREEDOM Artist Statement: “In 1858, Harriet Tubman bravely returned to the slave state of Maryland to lead an 8-year-old girl to the free state of New York via the Underground Railroad network. Harriet later adopted the girl and there is speculation that she was Harriet's actual daughter or niece. I used this story as a launching point of historical reference around which I built the composition. The contours of the base are the Maryland/Delaware Peninsula where Harriet was originally enslaved and to which she frequently returned for her freedom raids. The dramatic ledge represents the Mason-Dixon line into free Pennsylvania, an important milestone in the journey to freedom. Harriet is leaning into the wind with her shoulder; eyes cut formidably up, bracing herself against the elements. The wind illustrates the peril of the journey and serves as a metaphor for the intense opposition she faced. Harriet's dress is protectively enveloping the girl. Her skirt, billowing like a flag, signifies the legal protections afforded to every United States citizen and a symbol of the future equality to come. Each hand on the sculpture expresses an attribute: Determination, Protection, Fear, and Trust. With a look of trepidation, the child is leaning out to get a better sense of what lies ahead. She holds Harriet's finger affectionately, her cautious hope echoed in her delicate grip. The child is off-balance and tentatively taking a step forward, her foot precariously close to the edge of the cliff. The shackles are broken; they have left the bonds of slavery behind them.” Wesley Wofford, FNSS Wofford Sculpture Studio www.woffordsculpturestudio.com bronze chains figurative portrait shackles