10 10 134 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/de490d0601670c9e46b6e5400b574e4e.jpg b6934120b65320c0c591993140c2167d https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/ca89b78694aaa40ad5076ed62a2f704e.jpg 534cc5396b6e93a55eac71cc058061f4 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/26cc105594d7a6106b57fdd99411fd10.jpg 35e566d370aaf18e2c8a6c8b2afa22fe https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/61f00ec319c43d0a9a9305e8030ef2ed.jpg c8dd15c6967050bdba7ac4ff1fcebded https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/260c4dde25f35847c172e98042f87a48.jpg 6bf68d75cb15ce0e7b4b4ad373e25d4d https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/4f20e2a715f0a1e4cc31cf4e541d0098.jpg 6e53bccf7af6ddbddda0a623d48280a9 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/c21e316bcd1d8f646b811e0bf1dd3711.jpg 2533509742958c9168e897b924dce4d2 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/63fe476048151f1e4c5a7cdf546f21c1.jpg 9f010f7422945c21b1707f526e4c4468 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/0704bb54a6e7b3fc21e81301a1858a6b.jpg a0c01817a3e6969929386e15802671eb 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 Burial Grounds Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource This collection is just a fraction of the burial grounds dedicated to enslaved persons, "contrabands," and freed persons. Many of these cemeteries and memorial parks have suffered greatly over the years--some have been desecrated and destroyed while others have been long ignored and fallen into disrepair. The monuments and memorials in this collection are part of local efforts to restore and recognize the importance of black life in death, including the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedman's Cemetery Memorial</a> in Dallas, Texas; <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African Burial Ground National Memorial </a>in New York City; <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African Burying Ground Memorial</a> in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial</a> in Alexandria, Virginia. As of 2026, the Black Cemetery Network (blackcemeterynetwork.org) has documented 201 Black cemeteries in New England, the Middle Atlantic, the South, and the Midwest. Some of these cemeteries are dedicated to enslaved persons such as the Enslaved Cemetery in Mahwah, New Jersey; Betton Hills Plantation Cemetery in Tallahassee, Florida; and the Enslaved Burial Ground in Old Round Rock Cemetery in Round Rock, Texas. In 2022, the African American Burial Grounds Preservation Program authorized the National Park Service to administer an annual grant program to assist in the preservation of historic Black burial grounds. See Congress.gov. "Text - H.R.6805 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): African-American Burial Grounds Preservation Act." April 28, 2022. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/6805/text. 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 We Stand in Honor of Those Forgotten: African Burying Ground Memorial (Portsmouth, New Hampshire) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History African American cemeteries New Hampshire--Portsmouth Public art Public sculpture Slavery--New Hampshire Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The memorial is composed of a number of distinct elements. A rectangular granite stele on State Street marks the memorial’s entrance. On one side, below the engraved text that reads “African Burying Ground Memorial,” a life-size bronze figure of a man stands with his back against the stone stele. His left-hand reaches out and back, towards the other side of the stele. On the opposite side, a life-size bronze figure of a woman mirrors the gesture of her male counterpart. The sculptor, Jerome Meadows, leaves a gap between the outstretched hands of the two figures. On the opposite end of the memorial, a group of eight life-size vertical bronze and concrete silhouettes, each inscribed with a line from a poem written by Meadows, stand in a semicircle around the burial vault. The figural group is surrounded by a metal railing, embellished with ceramic tiles. The design of the 110 ceramic tiles is inspired by Kinte cloth patterns and based on the original drawings created in a workshop Meadows facilitated with students from a local middle school. The burial vault contains the re-interred remains of the thirteen individuals found on the site in 2003. The vault is marked with a Sankofa, a West African Adinkra symbol that means “Return and Get It — Learn from the Past.” The sculptural groups are connected by the “Petition Line,” a ribbon of pinks stone, which contrasts with the gray stone walkway of the memorial. The Petition Line contains excerpts from a formal document submitted to the New Hampshire legislature in 1779 by twenty enslaved individuals petitioning for their freedom. To the right is an information marker that provides visitors with the historical context for the memorial, as well as the poem by Meadows - I Stand For Those Forgotten. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Meadows, Jerome, 1951- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 23, 2015 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Portsmouth City Council; African Burying Ground Committee; Roberta Woodburn, Woodburn & Company Landscape Architecture; community members; Portsmouth school children; and various non-profit partners including the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, Inc., the Seacoast African American Cultural Center, the Portsmouth Historical Society, and Art-Speak. 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 Portsmouth African Burying Ground, 97 Chestnut Street (between Court and State Streets), Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. First bronze plaque on Information Marker: I stand for the Ancestors Here and Beyond I stand for those who feel anger I stand for those who were treated unjustly I stand for those who were taken from their loved ones I stand for those who suffered the middle passage I stand for those who survived upon these shores I stand for those who pay homage to this ground I stand for those who find dignity in these bones --Jerome Meadows, artist and sculptor The Entry Figures--The male figure stands for the first enslaved Africans brought to Portsmouth and those who followed. The female figure represents Mother Africa, endlessly straining past the obstacles that keep her from her children of the Diaspora. Together, as each figure reaches around the edge of the granite slab towards the other, they physically embody the separation and uncertainty of those brought here as captives as well as their perserverance. The gap between their fingertips is a reminder of their forced separation and of the divisions of past injustices. The Petition Line--In 1779, twenty men who had been forcibly brought from West Africa when they were children and were purchased by prominent local families, petitioned the New Hampshire legislature for their freedom and for the end of slavery in the state. Quoting phrases from this “Petition for Freedom,” the petition line is a visual and historical thread linking the elements of the monument and putting eloquent voice to those so long forgotten and ignored. Extending from the entry figures through a space of contemplation, the line disappears into the burial vault beneath the plaza. The West African symbol adorning this line is “Nsoromma” that means “Child of the Heavens” and is an icon of guardian ship. Burial Vault Lid--The Adinkra figure “Sankofa” meaning “Return And Get It--Learn From The Past” forms a shield and cover for the burial vault containing the reinterred remains of those exhumed in 2003 and additional partial remains found at the site during preparations for the memorial. Community Figures--These life-sized bronze sihouettes represent the collective community of greater Portsmouth, gather with resolve to acknowledge, protect, and pay homage to the souls whose remains were uncovered in 2003. Each figure bears a line from the poem by the memorial designer and sculptor Jerome Meadows, inspired by this sacred place. Decorative Railing--The design is based on an African Kente cloth motif suggestive of boat paddles. The ceramic tiles embedded in the railing were created by students from Portsmouth Public Schools. By forming the tiles, these school children link hands with past children who worked here and future generations who will stop, remember, and stand for those forgotten. Second bronze plaque on Information Marker: We Stand In Honor Of Those Forgotten This Memorial was created by the people of Portsmouth. Those buried here are not part of black history or white history. This is our collective history. The symbol chosen to represent the solemn intent of the African Burying Ground Memorial and its close historical connection to West Africa is the distinctive Sankofa symbol from the Akan people of Ghana. For those Africans forcibly removed from their homeland to be enslaved in America, and for those of us reflecting on that history now, we take the Sankofa and its timeless meaning to heart: “Return And Get It--Learn From The Past.” The first known enslaved African, a man from Guinea, arrived in Portsmouth in 1645. He was among hundreds of African captives to live in slavery in New Hampshire. Throughout the Colonial Era, New Hampshire's affluent port had the largest number of slaves in the colony, up to 4 percent of the population recorded in the census of 1767. By 1810, few if any people of African ancestry were still enslaved in Portsmouth. Although early town records and other public documents made references to the “Negro Burying Yard,” the memory of the African Burying Ground and its occupants--which may number over 200--faded as the decades passed. The burying ground was built over and nearly forgotten--until October 7, 2003 when a work crew unexpectedly exposed deteriorating wooden coffins containing human remains. Forensic archaeology and DNA analysis confirmed the individuals exhumed as African. Portsmouth began a community discussion about this historic and sensitive site and determined that space should be restored to sacred ground. The process to create a memorial and to re-inter the disturbed remains began. In the spring of 2015, the remains were re-interred in the burial vault that is the focal point of this Memorial. The Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial stands for those who were fogotten. The burial site acknowledges their humanity, and ours. With design elements chosen in a series of community dialogues about the past, present, and future, this Memorial provides an opportunity to look back and reflect on the history shared with those buried here, in a space whose extent is not fully defined. Although their identities are not known, their presence beneath our feet urges us to recognize them--and others forgotten--as individuals with stories that come alive as we look back and remember. Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Concrete; Stone Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. “Memorial Park Design.” Portsmouth African Burying Ground. Accessed May 6, 2019. http://www.africanburyinggroundnh.org/mpd.html. “Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial Park.” Department of Public Works, City of Portsmouth. Accessed May 6, 2019. https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/publicworks/portsmouth-african-burying-ground-memorial-park. 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 Photographs by Renée Ater Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Portsmouth African Burying Ground Extent The size or duration of the resource. 91.2 in. (231.65 cm) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Portsmouth, 1 Junkins Avenue, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801, United States Adinkra symbols archaeology bronze figurative granite inscription https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/8c0b80737f678be100753bb22d8b6887.jpg b5cdc04a050a00a2863230582c2c467b https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/2ce2820d4d19f0525a0a0c6c5f963347.jpeg 502360b9314d09af9cbc77caf3b34f2f https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/dc9bb13e07d5b2794f888adabdbcd5da.jpg 49ca6e25121d81e49af91c8fb13ff367 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/35ed51951e2095b4ee35e63a4b0d7fcf.jpeg 0826eb48c0e15e24df232706f42b4c84 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/d9ec2e10f4d251f7aeeb81c31535fd96.jpeg 179fe14432fd2cfec7b88ed8abedf1da Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Universities and Slavery Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments in this collection examine the intertwined histories of American universities and slavery. In his book, Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities (2013), Craig Steven Wilder examines how universities and colleges were established and expanded because of the massive wealth they accrued from the transatlantic slave trade and slavery. Slave traders became the principal financiers of endowed faculty chairs and were appointed as university trustees, and colleges and universities made special efforts to recruit the sons of the slaveholding elite. Presidents of universities also held Black people in bondage, for example, Princeton’s first nine university presidents owned enslaved people. Universities and colleges such as the University of Virginia have recognized how enslaved people labored on their campuses, waiting on faculty and students and tending to their grounds. Just as importantly, the classes at many universities upheld the logic of racism foundational to American slavery. As researchers at Rutgers found, “The faculty and curriculum at Rutgers and other early American colleges reinforced the theological and scientific racism that provided the ideological and spiritual justification for the free labor of Africans, the absolute power of slave owners, and the separation of the races.” Often responding to pressure from students and activists, universities and colleges across the United States have begun to think more critically about how to address the complex, untold, and painful history of slavery and its ongoing legacy on their campuses. The memorials in this collection, such as the University of Virginia’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127">Memorial to Enslaved Laborers</a> are intended as spaces for learning, healing, and reconciliation. In addition to building monuments, universities are also attempting to redress and repair their relationship with communities most affected by slavery. William and Mary’s Lemon Project, for example, focuses on “contributing to and encouraging scholarship on the 300-year relationship between African Americans and William and Mary, and building bridges between the university and Williamsburg and Greater Tidewater area.” Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture 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 Enslaved Laborers (Charlottesville, Virginia) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Public art Public sculpture Virginia--Charlottesville Slavery--Virginia University of Virginia Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The memorial consists of two granite circles nestled into the grassy landscape. The exterior surface of the outer ring is ribbed and textured with shallow depressions designed to catch light and shadow. From a certain angle, the eyes of Isabella Gibbons—an enslaved woman at the University of Virginia—appear on the stone surface. The interior wall of this outer ring bears the engraved names of known enslaved laborers at the University, along with placeholders for those whose names remain unknown. At the center lies a circular grass lawn, encircled by a smaller stone ring. This inner ring features engravings of Isabella Gibbons’ writings and a timeline depicting the lives of enslaved people at the university from the early seventeenth century through Gibbons’ death in 1889. The structure invites visitors to view and reflect upon the various inscriptions etched onto the memorial. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Höweler + Yoon Architecture Höweler, Eric, 1972- Yoon, Meejin, 1972- Wilson, Mable O. (architect), 1963- Otiitigbe, Eto (artist), 1977- Gleam, Gregg (landscape architect), 1952- Dukes, Frank (community engagement facilitator), 1951- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 10, 2021 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Design Team: Höweler + Yoon Architecture including Namjoo Kim, Caroline Shannon, and Anna Kaertner; Silman, Structural Engineering; Nitsch Engineering; George Sexton Associates, Lighting Designer; DEW, International Water Feature Design Consultants; Team Henry Enterprises, General Contractor; Quarra Stone Company, Stone Fabrication and Installation; Common Name, Typography Design. Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA. University of Virginia: President's Commission on Slavery and the University, Memorial for Enslaved Laborers student organization, Inclusion Diversity Equity Access IDEA Fund, University and Community Action for Racial Equity (UCARE), Office of the Architect and Facilities Managment, Division of for Community Engagement and Equal Opportunity.  Memorial to Enslaved Laborers (MEL) Community Engagement Committee: Meghan Saunders (chair), Cecil Banks, Bobby Battle, Carolyn Dillard, Kellen Renner-Thomas, Joy Elmore, Tierney Fairchild, DeTeasa Gathers, Jessica Harris, Sarita Herman, Pam Higgins, Mary Hughes, Alexis Mason, Kristin Morgan, Louis Nelson, Shelley Murphy, Stacy Smith, and Cauline Yates. Community Input: 100 Black Men of Central Virginia, African American fraternities and sororities, Albemarle High School, Black Professional Network, Black Student Alliance (BSA), Buford Middle School, Central Virginia History Research Group (CVHR), Charlottesville High School, City of Promise, Collegiate 100, Daughters of Zion, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Faculty Senate, General Faculty Council, J.P. Burley High School Alumni, Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA), Mason’s Lodge, Monticello High School, NAACP, Office of African American Affairs, The Ridley Scholarship Fund, Trinity Episcopal Church, Union Run Baptist Church, UVA Black Alumni, Virginia Humanities, and Zion Union Baptist Church. Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Division for Community Engagement and Equal Opportunity. "Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia." University of Virginia. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://mel.virginia.edu/. Silva, Sergio Manuel. "Afterlives in Stone." Religion, Race & Democracy Lab, University of Virginia. Accessed April 30, 2025. https://religionlab.virginia.edu/projects/afterlives-in-stone/. Wilder, Craig Steven. Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America's Universities. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. University of Virginia. "Universities Studying Slavery." President's Commission on Slavery and the University. https://slavery.virginia.edu/universities-studying-slavery/. 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 Photographs by Renée Ater Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant University and Elliewood Avenues, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, United States Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Virginia mist granite Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Division for Community Engagement and Equal Opportunity, University of Virginia, Madison Hall, P.O. Box 400881, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22904, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Timeline https://mel.virginia.edu/history?open=true#timeline-of-enslaved-laborers-at-uva List of African American individuals (Community Cloud): http://juel.iath.virginia.edu/node/367 and https://mel.virginia.edu/community?open=true#community-cloud abstract granite memorial wall names https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/6b38971fc4636a7c6a09c9074784a7e2.JPG bd7d5b3dc69ca7a32d3117d998651e23 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/29bd10a4eeaadaf29ad6b96dcc0e14f7.JPG 459d28965a4569840287ff255a1da29b https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/a2d8b5d14d00e9f76a640968840357e3.JPG b14dc7036a2e66c6c3769c2123d1aec2 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/65d3ba20c0410f9284597d70e13c9c71.jpg 1cb389f4b119154fda5e4c54104038a1 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/b57a83a0196feb2b3e52ad68b8ef8944.jpg 791d946ad158b4c53067247b692beddf https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/25def8acb75a3acf95ad39a255f415cc.JPG aa1162f105c784774ca6050c965ef48e https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/368d66dcd63e135c9b3fdc5cd8587503.JPG 31d42747e1d4cda02228e0a07bf4a392 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Universities and Slavery Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments in this collection examine the intertwined histories of American universities and slavery. In his book, Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities (2013), Craig Steven Wilder examines how universities and colleges were established and expanded because of the massive wealth they accrued from the transatlantic slave trade and slavery. Slave traders became the principal financiers of endowed faculty chairs and were appointed as university trustees, and colleges and universities made special efforts to recruit the sons of the slaveholding elite. Presidents of universities also held Black people in bondage, for example, Princeton’s first nine university presidents owned enslaved people. Universities and colleges such as the University of Virginia have recognized how enslaved people labored on their campuses, waiting on faculty and students and tending to their grounds. Just as importantly, the classes at many universities upheld the logic of racism foundational to American slavery. As researchers at Rutgers found, “The faculty and curriculum at Rutgers and other early American colleges reinforced the theological and scientific racism that provided the ideological and spiritual justification for the free labor of Africans, the absolute power of slave owners, and the separation of the races.” Often responding to pressure from students and activists, universities and colleges across the United States have begun to think more critically about how to address the complex, untold, and painful history of slavery and its ongoing legacy on their campuses. The memorials in this collection, such as the University of Virginia’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127">Memorial to Enslaved Laborers</a> are intended as spaces for learning, healing, and reconciliation. In addition to building monuments, universities are also attempting to redress and repair their relationship with communities most affected by slavery. William and Mary’s Lemon Project, for example, focuses on “contributing to and encouraging scholarship on the 300-year relationship between African Americans and William and Mary, and building bridges between the university and Williamsburg and Greater Tidewater area.” Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Sculpture: 96 x 96 x 55 in. (243.84 x 243.84 x 149 cm) Granite column: 43.375 x 39.5 x 30 in. (110.17 x 100.33 x 76.2 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Slavery Memorial (Providence, Rhode Island) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Brown University Enslaved persons Public art Public sculpture Slavery--Rhode Island Rhode Island--Providence Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Located near University Hall, the oldest building on campus and constructed with the labor of enslaved persons, the memorial has two distinct features: a sculpture and a stone plinth. The sculpture consists of a massive ductile cast iron chain, which emerges from a large cast iron dome. The links of the chain are broken and the iron dome, just visible as it emerges out of the earth, recalls the physical restraints of a ball and chain. A stone plinth with engraved text stands next to the sculpture. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Puryear, Martin, 1941- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 27, 2014 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The Slavery and Justice Committee; Brown University Public Art Committee; Brown Corporation Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Brown University, 1 Prospect Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, 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 Manning Hall, 21 Prospect St, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on granite column: This memorial recognizes Brown University’s connection to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the work of Africans and African-Americans, enslaved and free, who helped build our university, Rhode Island, and the nation. Extent The size or duration of the resource. Sculpture: 96 x 96 x 55 in. (243.84 x 243.84 x 149 cm) Granite column: 43.375 x 39.5 x 30 in. (110.17 x 100.33 x 76.2 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Ductile cast iron; Mirrored stainless steel; Black 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 Photographs by Sally Promey Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Wilder, Craig Steven. Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America's Universities. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Simmons, Ruth J. "Slavery and Justice at Brown: A Personal Reflection." In Slavery and the University: Histories and Legacies, eds. Leslie M. Harris, James T. Campbell, and Alfred L. Brophy. University of Georgia Press, 2019. Ater, Renée. "Tactility, Memory Work, and Martin Puryear's Slavery Memorial." In Slavery and Justice Report with Commentary on Context and Impact, eds. Anthony Bogues, Cass Cliatt, and Alison Levy, 23-32. 2nd edition. Brown University, 2021. https://slaveryandjustice.brown.edu/sites/default/files/reports/BRW321-SlaveryandJustice-10-22-21.pdf. University of Virginia. "Universities Studying Slavery." President's Commission on Slavery and the University. https://slavery.virginia.edu/universities-studying-slavery/. abstract black granite iron stainless steel https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/ca02254eea2c06ef3b540659ac11d28b.jpg 981d596e6efc35057db716420d5e1d59 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/3db1d2bb4e5cf7722dd073dd5b8308c8.jpeg d26ca27f5f673e334bb0635cd6751e18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Universities and Slavery Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments in this collection examine the intertwined histories of American universities and slavery. In his book, Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities (2013), Craig Steven Wilder examines how universities and colleges were established and expanded because of the massive wealth they accrued from the transatlantic slave trade and slavery. Slave traders became the principal financiers of endowed faculty chairs and were appointed as university trustees, and colleges and universities made special efforts to recruit the sons of the slaveholding elite. Presidents of universities also held Black people in bondage, for example, Princeton’s first nine university presidents owned enslaved people. Universities and colleges such as the University of Virginia have recognized how enslaved people labored on their campuses, waiting on faculty and students and tending to their grounds. Just as importantly, the classes at many universities upheld the logic of racism foundational to American slavery. As researchers at Rutgers found, “The faculty and curriculum at Rutgers and other early American colleges reinforced the theological and scientific racism that provided the ideological and spiritual justification for the free labor of Africans, the absolute power of slave owners, and the separation of the races.” Often responding to pressure from students and activists, universities and colleges across the United States have begun to think more critically about how to address the complex, untold, and painful history of slavery and its ongoing legacy on their campuses. The memorials in this collection, such as the University of Virginia’s <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1127">Memorial to Enslaved Laborers</a> are intended as spaces for learning, healing, and reconciliation. In addition to building monuments, universities are also attempting to redress and repair their relationship with communities most affected by slavery. William and Mary’s Lemon Project, for example, focuses on “contributing to and encouraging scholarship on the 300-year relationship between African Americans and William and Mary, and building bridges between the university and Williamsburg and Greater Tidewater area.” Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture 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 Unsung Founders Memorial (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Public art Public sculpture North Carolina--Chapel Hill Slavery--North Carolina University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The memorial includes a stone tabletop supported by 300 bronze male and female African American figures, their arms raised over their heads as they collectively hold the weight of the tabletop. The differing dress of the figures-- some are shown in suits, while others are semi-nude and bare foot-- appear to represent a range of economic classes. The table is surrounded by five black stone seats. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Suh, Do-Ho, 1962- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 5, 2005 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University of North Carolina Graduating Class of 2002 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, 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 McCorkle Place, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription around the edge of the table: THE CLASS OF 2002 HONORS THE UNIVERSITY’S UNSUNG FOUNDERS — THE PEOPLE OF COLOR BOND AND FREE — WHO HELPED BUILD THE CAROLINA THAT WE CHERISH TODAY Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Black granite; Bronze 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 Photographs by 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. Ater, Renée. “The Challenge of Memorializing Slavery in North Carolina: The Unsung Founders Memorial and the North Carolina Freedom Monument Project.” In Politics of Memory: Making Slavery Visible in the Public Space, edited by Ana Lucia Araujo, 141–156. Routledge, 2012. McMillan, Timothy J. "Remembering Forgetting: A Monument to Erasure at the University of North Carolina." In Silence, Screen and Spectacle: Rethinking Social Memory in the Age of Information, eds. Lindsey A. Freeman, Benjamin Nienass, and Rachel Daniell, 137-162. Berhahn Books, 2014. Wilder, Craig Steven. Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America's Universities. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. University of Virginia. "Universities Studying Slavery." President's Commission on Slavery and the University. https://slavery.virginia.edu/universities-studying-slavery/. black granite bronze figurative https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/515e196c66f8a9369082c72c52976661.jpg 0d7fbc2d150deaa6805eb394de8f4e14 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 Bronze statue: 84 in. (213.36 cm) Granite base: 44 ¾ x 59 in. (113.67 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 Denmark Vesey Monument (Charleston, South Carolina) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Public art Public sculpture Resistance Slave insurrections--South Carolina--Charleston Slavery--South Carolina South Carolina--Charleston Subject (Name) Vesey, Denmark, 1767-1822 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The work is dedicated to Denmark Vesey, a carpenter and self-educated Black man who planned one of the most extensive slave revolts in US history in Charleston, South Carolina in 1822. Vesey, elegantly dressed in a collared jacket, trousers, and an exceedingly long and slim cravat, is shown holding his carpentry bag, his hat, and his Bible. The figure stands atop a massive granite pedestal that is inscribed on two sides with biographical and historical information about Vesey and his vital contributions to the fight for the emancipation of Black people. In May 2021, the base of the statue was vandalized. After months-long restoration, the statue and base was restored to its place in Hampton Park in March 2022. James C. Meadors, owner of Meadors, Inc., donated the new granite base and additional restoration work needed for the sculpture. See https://abcnews4.com/news/local/denmark-vesey-statue-back-in-hampton-park-after-vandalism-months-long-restoration-wciv. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dwight, Ed, 1933- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 8, 2014 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Denmark Vesey and the Spirit of Freedom Monument Committee: Curtis J. Franks, Henry E. Darby, Dr. Wilmot A. Fraser, Ellen Dresser Moryl; Dr. Bernard Powers, Marion Welch, Donald West, Dorothy Wright; City of Charleston; Charleston County Council 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 Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Drive, Charleston, South Carolina, 29403, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on front of black granite plinth: Denmark Vesey Slave Rebellion Organizer Born Circa 1767-July 2, 1822 Denmark Vesey, previously named Telemaque, was born either in Africa or on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas. At the age of 14, he was purchased by the slave trader Captain Joseph Vesey and transported to the French Colony of St. Domingue, where the young African was sold along with 389 other slaves. Claimed to be suffering from epilepsy by his new owner, Denmark was returned to Captain Vesey. The young man accompanied Captain Vesey on many trading voyages as part of the crew. In 1873, immediately after the American Revolution, Captain Vesey relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where Denmark continued to serve him for approximately another 17 years. In 1799, however, Denmark won $1,500 in the East Bay Street Lottery in Charleston and purchased his freedom for $600. Denmark Vesey was a highly skilled carpenter and well known within free black and slave society. According to his contemporaries, he harbored frustration at his inability to legally free his wife and children. His antislavery sentiments may have received a wider audience when in 1818 enslaved and free black Charlestonians established a branch of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church where he served as a church leader. Vesey envisioned a community where all would be free , but recently planned state legislation of 1820 made legal emancipation of slaves nearly impossible. Furthermore, municipal authorities repeated attacks on the AME Church convinced Vesey slavery was such a violation of God's law that rebellion was necessary to obtain liberty. He placed his own life at risk as he dared to plan to recruit others to achieve the goal of freedom. Inscription on back of black granite plinth: Denmark Vesey Vesey and his lieutenants "Gullah" Jack Pritchard, Peter Poyas, and Monday Gell developed a plan for a revolt, which may have involved thousands of followers. Their war of liberation was originally planned for July 14, 1822, and called for conspirators to seize weapons and set fires around the city. Once reinforced by rural slaves, as many as possible were to escape to Haiti where African people had already abolished slavery and formed an independent nation. According to Congregational minister and abolitionist Thomas Wentworth Higginson, the plan was "the most elaborate insurrectionary project ever formed by American slaves." When two slaves informed the authorities of the plot, the conspirators tried to move the date to June 16, but their plan failed. Arrests and trials followed and beginning on July 2, 1822, two days before Independence Day, Vesey and 34 of his compatriots were hanged. This figure represents the greatest number of slave conspiracy-related executions in American history. 37 were banished, most outside the United States, and four whites were briefly fined and incarcerated for for sympathizing with the conspirators. To strenghten security, officials demolished the AME Church, and the state legislature imposed rigorous new laws, including the Negro Seaman Act subjecting free black sailors from outside the state to arrest when their ships docked in Carolina ports. Free black men were required to have white guardians, and those who left the state were barred from returning. By the mid-1820s, the city fortified itself with an arsenal and barracks. In 1842, the Military College of South Carolina, now known as the "The Citadel," was established on that same site. Despite the daunting opposition, Vesey's Spirit and liberating vision did not die. He became an inspiring symbol of freedom for later abolitionists including David Walker, John Brown, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. His resolve demonstrates the timeless universality of men and women's desire for freedom and justice irrespective of race, creed, condition, or color. Round sign on side of black granite plinth: Charleston Stories Hear Denmark Vesey here Completing the Story: Bringing a Community Together www.charlestonstories.org History calls back Extent The size or duration of the resource. Statue: 84 in. (213.36 cm) Base: 44 ¾ x 59 in. (113.67 x 149.86 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Granite Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Roberts, Blain and Ethan J. Kytle. "Looking the Thing in the Face: Slavery, Race, and the Commemorative Landscape in Charleston, South Carolina, 1865-2010." The Journal of Southern History 78, issue 3 (August 2012): 639-684. Parker, Adam. "Denmark Vesey Monument Unveiled before Hundreds." Post and Courier, February 14, 2014. Accessed April 12, 2019. https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/denmark-vesey-monument-unveiled-before-hundreds/article_35622532-8a45-5060-a819-0e33a47c8a20.html. Wright, Deborah and Daron Calhoun. "Remember Denmark Vesey of Charleston!" Avery Messenger (Summer 2014): 6-8. Accessed May 27, 2020. https://avery.cofc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/messenger_springsummer2014.pdf. Dykens, Sarah Katherine. "Commemoration and Controversy: The Memorialization of Denmark Vesey in Charleston, South Carolina." M.S. thesis. Clemson University and College of Charleston, 2015. 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 Izetta Autumn Mobley Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Charleston, 80 Broad Street, Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, United States Bible black granite bronze figurative inscription portrait https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/990388eb5485a0a89742679dfd40fb43.jpg bc0d77466d6e9e70810b5e884ded5097 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/ea88baa982fcb598efa1609690387907.jpg 99b3021c37bef8fd7ae651e3caab1b1a https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/1cd1d9fd3f817df457740a2b3c439d43.jpg 016363d3c30a7d4d57ed3fae19071563 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/ba1de0d10afc11fa79b95f2e0b66ff25.jpg b0a6c82a80c8b1fe10065ba5ab43f9ef https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/96f653f0e5edd84308deddb90f203db4.jpg 040f1672e7a3992d8ede8d40be99daed https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/e2940d7ec142b271adf411d20be51a56.jpeg 964a78a0ee72856e7b2dbd47a44246be 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 in. (304.8 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 Edmonson Sisters Memorial (Alexandria, Virginia) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Enslaved persons--Emancipation Freedom Public art Public sculpture Resistance Slavery--Virginia Transatlantic slave trade Virginia--Alexandria Subject (Name) Edmonson, Mary, 1832–1853 Edmonson, Emily, 1835–1895 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Two young women emerge from a large rocky outcrop, their hands clasped tightly as they stride forward. The over life-sized work depicts the abolitionists and former enslaved sisters, Mary and Emily Edmonson. The statue is located on the site of the former Joseph Bruin’s slave jail, where the sisters were held after a failed attempt to escape from Washington, DC in 1848 on the ship Pearl. On the back of the sculpture is an etching of the ship and the word "Pearl." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Blome, Erik, 1967- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 25, 2010 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Carr Development Corporation and The City of Alexandria 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 Edmonson Plaza, 1701 Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314, United States Extent The size or duration of the resource. 120 in. (304.8 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 Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on the work's base: The Edmonson Sisters Erik Blome Sculptor © 2010 Assisted by C. Blome On the obverse of the memorial, Blome included a low relief of the schooner, Pearl. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs by Renée Ater Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Alexandria, 301 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, United States Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Heid, Markham. "Alexandria Dedicats Sculpture Honoring Edmonson Sisters." Washington Examiner, June 24, 2010. Accessed May 27, 2020. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/alexandria-dedicates-sculpture-honoring-edmonson-sisters. Blome, Erick. "The Edmonson Sisters." Erick Blome-Sculptor. Accessed February 4, 2026. https://www.erikblome.com/edmonson-sisters. Ater, Renée. "The Memory of Slavery in the Urban Landscape of Alexandria Virginia." In Traces and Memories of Slavery in the Atlantic World, eds. Lawrence Ajé and Nicolas Gachon, 215-232. Routledge, 2020. bronze figurative portrait https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/91fe9f6c3146000c29633aa2e7893a9f.jpg a39b736a88c49d6001747cc3733ef266 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/8167c9f26a5a52ac6ff99320a4f8944b.jpg cf131b4c53b9f51be7224bac52ceca77 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/6a1c6ac6dd9c3004afe33617e82a8079.jpg 16280465cf6ca1090e06be70fea3a3ef https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/8df8ab2d4d95eb031abf60466b382e21.jpg 8dc7c7f88e9cf710b6ea67519cccb85a 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 168 in. (426.72 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 Amistad Memorial (New Haven, Connecticut) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Amistad Mutiny Antislavery movements--United States Connecticut--New Haven Public art Public sculpture Resistance Slave insurrections Slavery--United States Transatlantic slave trade Subject (Name) Pieh, Sengbe (Joseph Cinque), ca. 1814-ca. 1879 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The Amistad Memorial centers around a large bronze triangular prism adorned with sculptural reliefs, depicting scenes from the life of Sengbe Pieh. In 1839 Pieh led a revolt of abducted Africans against their captors on the Spanish slave ship, the Amistad. The Amistad was seized off the coast of Long Island, NY, by the US brig, Washington and the Africans on board were imprisoned on charges of murder. The case went to the US Supreme Court, where Pieh and his fellow Africans were found to have rightfully defended themselves as they were free individuals, having been kidnapped and transported illegally. The memorial stands on the site of the New Haven jail, where Pieh and the other Amistad Africans were held during their trials. The three sides of the sculpture depict the life of Pieh: the first side shows him as a young man in Africa; the second side depicts his court trials, and the third side shows Pieh after he won his freedom. A fourth side of the sculpture, only visible from the upper floors of City Hall, includes images of disembodied hands emerging from ocean waves, a reminder of the thousands who perished during the Middle Passage. Pieh's famous courtroom statement, "make us free" is inscribed on the work’s granite base. The memorial rests atop a squared platform, which was inserted into a purpose-built recessed space added to City Hall during a 1990 renovation. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hamilton, Ed, 1947- Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 18, 1992 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The Amistad Committee, Inc. 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 New Haven City Hall, 165 Church Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on base: This monument is a memorial to the 1839 Amistad Revolt and its leader, Sengbe Pieh, also known as Joseph Cinque. Sengbe Pieh was one of the millions of Africans kidnapped from their homes and transported in bondage to the Americas. Sold into slavery in Cuba, he and forty-eight other men, and four children were bound aboard the schooner La Amistad. During a storm, Sengbe Pieh successfully freed himself and his fellows. The Africans seized the ship, but their offers to steer La Amistad homeward were thwarted. After futile weeks at sea, they were captured off Long Island by the U.S.S. Washington. Inscription on base: On this site, the Amistad Africans were jailed awaiting trial for piracy and murder. To aid their struggle for freedom, the Amistad Committee formed, counting in its number ministers Simeon Jocelyn, Joshua Leavitt, and James Pennington; merchant Lewis Tappan; professor Josiah Gibbs; and lawyer Roger Baldwin. The Africans were tried twice prior to their ultimate triumph before the United States Supreme Court, where former President John Quincy Adams courageously defended them. Sengbe Pieh and his fellows were declared Free Persons. Inscription on base: "Make Us Free" The Africans sought to return home. To raise funds for their voyage and to further the anti-slavery cause, they engaged in a series of speaking tours. In 1841, after a sojourn that profoundly influenced the abolitionist movement, they set sail, free at last. To commemorate the heroism of the Amistad Africans and those who shared in their quest for freedom, the 1989 Amistad Committee commissioned his sculpture by Ed Hamilton and dedicated it on September 26, 1992. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 168 in. (426.72 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Granite Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Hernandez, Esteban. "New Haven to Celebrate 175th Anniversary of Amistad, the Slave Ship that Led to Freedom." New Haven Register, March 5, 2016. Accessed April 12, 2019. https://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/New-Haven-to-celebrate-175th-anniversary-of-11338269.php. Macaluso, Laura A. Art of the Amistad and The Portrait of Cinqué. American Association of State and Local History Book Series, 2016. 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 Photographs by Renée Ater Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Department of Arts, Culture, and Tourism, City of New Haven, 165 Church Street, 6th Floor, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, United States bird black granite book bronze figurative inscription portrait https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/47810cfb0e2a79246063789ed6d08cb0.jpg c42a1cf65cbbfff3004d0a32118b307f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emancipation Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The commemorative works under the theme of "Emancipation" include two different types of monuments and memorials: those focused on the end of slavery in the United States through the Emancipation Proclamation, and memorials to emancipation and liberation movements in the Caribbean. The forms of the monuments and memorials range from figurative sculpture such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1145" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redemption Song</a> in Kingston, Jamaica; a series of gateways at the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1214" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Camp Barker Memorial</a> located at Garrison Elementary School in Washington, DC; and the abstract forms of <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1162" target="_blank" rel="noopener">L'Arbre de la liberté</a> in Schoelcher, Martinique. Thomas Ball's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1223" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedmen's Memorial to Abraham Lincoln </a>(1876) as well as Meta Warrick Fuller's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1121" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emancipation</a> (1913) are also included here as they represent early sculptural engagements with the theme in the United States. In the near future, we will add more commemorative works from the Caribbean to this theme including public art in Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Sint Maarten. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Renée Ater Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 84 in. (213.36 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emancipation (Boston, Massachusetts) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fuller, Meta Warrick, 1877-1968 Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Allegory (art) Emancipation Proclamation--United States Enslaved persons--Emancipation Freedom Massachusetts--Boston Public art Public sculpture Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Originally created in 1913 for the National Emancipation Exposition in New York City, the multi-figure sculpture is anchored around a truncated tree that reaches over the heads of the three human figures. The tree is roughly realized, and Fuller’s hand is evident in the surface treatment. At the center of the composition, a young woman and man stand upright and are seminude. The couple emerge from the “Tree of Knowledge.” Behind the male figure, the female figure of “Humanity,” clothed in a gown, bows her head and rests it on her raised left arm. She gently rests her right hand on the young man’s shoulder. The bronze cast was made in 1999. Two inscriptions were added to granite base of the monument in 2013. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph by Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 20, 1999 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource CBA Landscape Architects, Boston, Massachusetts; United South End Settlements, Boston, Massachusetts; New England Foundation for the Arts, Boston, Massachusetts; The George B. Henderson Foundation and The Edgar Ingersoll Browne Fund, Boston, Massachusetts; and Boston Parks and Recreation Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource National Center of Afro-American Artists, 300 Walnut Street, Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States and The Museum of Afro-American History, 46 Joy Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 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 Harriet Tubman Park, Columbus Avenue and Pembrook Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1913 Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on granite base (1999): Emancipation, 1913. In honor of African American freed persons who by their courage and valor gave meaning to emancipation. Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller, (1877-1968) sculptor. Courtesy of The Museum of the National Center for Afro-American Artists and the Museum of Afro-American History. Inscription on granite base (2013): “Humanity weeping over her suddenly freed children who beneath the gnarled fingers of Fate, step forth into the world, unafraid.” Meta Warrick Fuller Inscription on granite base (2013): “The Negro has been emancipated from slavery but not from the curse of race hatred and prejudice. . . It was not Lincoln alone who wrote the Emancipation but the humane side of the nation . . .” Meta Warrick Fuller Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Pink granite Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Ater, Renée. Remaking Race and History: The Sculpture of Meta Warrick Fuller. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Extent The size or duration of the resource. 84 in. (213.36 cm) allegory bronze figurative granite trees https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/9ffbbe57b8ff58336d70a1eaae58679e.jpg f6467947ec45b2a9e58a984bad247900 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 Monument to the 26th Regiment United States Colored Infantry (Ithaca, New York) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History New York--Ithaca Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Polished black granite in the shape of an upright headstone with an arched top, is dedicated to the memory of the twenty-six men of the 26th Regiment Infantry U.S. Colored Troops who enlisted between 1863 and 1864 at the St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, Ithaca, New York. The work includes an etched image of two United States Colored Troops soldiers, as well as the names of men who enlisted. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, 116 Cleveland Avenue, Ithaca, New York, 14850, United States Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. 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 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 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Black granite Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on front of the black granite: Dedicated to the 26 Soldiers of the 26th Regiment United States Colored Infantry Who Enlisted Between Dec. 3, 1863 and Feb. 18, 1864 At St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, Ithaca, NY To Fight for God and Liberty. Henry W. Adams • Henry Allen • Morgan E. Dennis • Isaac Desmond • Sylvester T. Dorsey • Henry L. Green • Jacob Guess • George W. Guinn • Daniel Johnson • Jacob Johnson • George E. Jones • Thomas McChesney • George A. Richardson • John R. Ross • Henry Selby • Charles S. Shaw • Alonzo Smith • Henry Smith • James E. L. Smith • John Smith • John F. Smith • Joseph B. Smith • Edward Sorrell • John Sorrell • John Tyler • Zacharial Tyler Organized at Riker's Island, New York Harbor, Feb. 27, 1864. Ordered to Dept. of the South, April, 1864. Served at Beaufort, SC. The Unit was discharged at Brownsville, Texas on Aug. 18, 1865. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marker_dedicated_to_the_26th_Regiment_of_the_U.S._Colored_Infantry_in_the_Civil_War.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009 black granite Civil War inscription names https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/66f9b1d701996888feaa58fe133bcef4.jpg e0045fe3e58d69c6475f722db769259d 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 Colored Soldiers Monument (Frankfort, Kentucky) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Cemeteries--Kentucky Kentucky--Frankfort United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The ten-foot limestone pillar was dedicated to 142 United States Colored Troop soldiers from Franklin County, Kentucky, who fought in the Civil War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 4, 1924 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Women’s Relief Corps No. 8 of the Grand Army of the Republic 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 Green Hill Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on the front of the limestone pillar: Erected by Woman's Relief Corp No. 8 *G. A. R.* July 1924 In Memory of the Colored Soldiers Franklin Co., KY Who Fought in the Civil War 1861-1865 The other three sides of the monument list the names of 142 African American soldiers. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 120 in. (304.8 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Limestone Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Talbott, Tim. "Kentucky African American Civil War Memorial." Kentucky Historical Society. Accessed January 23, 2019. https://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/191. 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 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unknown Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Kentucky African American Civil War Memorial Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colored_Soldiers_Monument_in_Frankfort#/media/File:Colored_Soldiers_Monument_in_Frankfort_1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikipedia</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource State of Kentucky, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601, United States Civil War columns inscription names