5 10 134 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/bea4fd6c8fd11359bb9b8261ac73862a.jpeg ccf1202a1e5665d2c517b022793457a6 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 68.4 in. (173.736 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 Harriet Tubman (fourth cast) (Ypsilanti, Michigan) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Freedom Michigan--Ypsilanti Public art Public sculpture Underground Railroad Subject (Name) Tubman, Harriet, 1822-1913 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The monument depicts Harriet Tubman leading a young African American boy by her left hand and holding a long walking stick in her right. She wears a brimmed hat, a long-sleeve shirt with a shawl wrapped around her neck, and a flowing skirt. As they walk, Tubman peers kindly at the boy, who gazes back at her. The boy wears a vest, long-sleeved shirt, trousers, and laced shoes. Both figures are shown in mid-stride. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource DeDecker, Jane, 1961- Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_of_Harriet_Tubman_Ypsilanti_Michigan.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 May 21, 2006 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Friends of Ypsilanti District Library, Ypsilanti, Michigan; Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority, Ypsilanti, Michigan; and Pfizer, Inc., Ypsilanti, Michigan Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Ypsilanti District Library, 229 West Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 48197, 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 Ypsilanti District Library, 229 West Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 48197, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Bronze plaque on front of statue: Harriet Tubman, 1820-1913. Led slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad earning her the name of ‘Moses of Her People.’ Bronze statue created by Jane DeDecker and installed in 2006. Inscription on back: "Children if you are tired, keep going. If you're hungry, keep going. If you're scared, keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going." Harriet Tubman Has Version A related resource that is a version, edition, or adaptation of the described resource. First cast: <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harriet Tubman, Las Sendas, Mesa, Arizona</a> Extent The size or duration of the resource. 68.4 in. (173.736 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Ypsilanti District Library. "Library Plaza." Accessed March 18, 2018. https://www.ypsilibrary.org/about/visit/ydl-michigan/library-plaza/. Wander Woman Project. "Harriet Tubman Statues by Jane DeDecker Across the US." Accessed May 25, 2020. https://wanderwomenproject.com/places/harriet-tubman-statues-by-jane-dedecker-across-the-us/. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater References A related resource that is referenced, cited, or otherwise pointed to by the described resource. Monument and Myth: Commemorating Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad bronze figurative inscription portrait https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/910a9bfc24eeda04e328c64259f50fca.jpg 5e6d67c68062a6681e07a0808a624184 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Resistance Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials in this section commemorate the enslaved and free men and women who resisted bondage and worked to end the institution of slavery. In her book, The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition (2016), historian Manisha Sinha examines the long history of Black resistance to chattel slavery. Resistance to enslavement took many forms—from rebellions aboard slave ships and on plantations to the enslaved slowing the pace of work, breaking tools, feigning illness, and escaping from bondage. The works in this section honor these diverse histories of resistance. The <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1122" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amistad Memorial</a> in New Haven, Connecticut, recognizes Sengbe Pieh, who led a revolt of abducted Africans against their captors on the Spanish slave ship, the Amistad; the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Three Rebel Queens of the Virgin Islands</a> in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, celebrates the women of the Fireburn Revolt of 1878; and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaspar Yanga</a> statue highlights a seventeenth-century self-emancipated leader of a maroon colony near Veracruz, Mexico. In the near future, we will add more commemorative works from the Caribbean to this theme including monuments and memorials in Antigua, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Updated January 26, 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Written by Grace Yasumura Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Sculpture Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 84 in. (213.36 cm) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Spirit of Freedom (Hamilton, Bermuda) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dowling, Carlos, 1949- Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Cabinet Gardens, 105 Front Street, Hamilton, Bermuda Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Bermuda Islands--Hamilton Public art Public sculpture Resistance Slavery--Bermuda Islands Slavery--England Transatlantic slave trade Subject (Name) Bassett, Sarah (Sally), d. 1730 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource In 1730, the colonial government of Bermuda executed Sarah Bassett, an enslaved woman, for allegedly attempting to poison her granddaughter’s enslavers. In Spirit of Freedom, she is depicted as a slender female figure bound tightly with ropes, her arms restrained behind her back. Her head is tilted slightly upward and turned to the side, her eyes closed in silent defiance. Her legs are tightly bound to a stake and secured on top of a burning pyre. The sculpture stands on a circular pedestal. Around the base, the name “Sarah (Sally) Bassett” is inscribed, along with a description of events from her life. Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Gibson, Stephanie. "Revealing Sally: Unveiling Bermuda's Resistance to Confront its Brutal Past." Monument Lab, May 4, 2020. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://monumentlab.com/bulletin/revealing-sally-unveiling-bermudas-resistance-to-confront-its-brutal-past. Swan, Quito. "Smoldering Memories and Burning Questions: The Politics of Remembering Sally Bassett and Slavery in Bermuda." In Politics of Memory: Making Slavery Visible in the Public Space, ed. Ana Lucia Araujo, 71-91. Routledge, 2012. CIPDH-UNESCO. "Spirit of Freedom." Memorias Situadas: Sites of Memory Related to Serious Human Rights Violations. Accessed February 4, 2026. https://www.cipdh.gob.ar/memorias-situadas/en/lugar-de-memoria/espiritu-de-libertad/. Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Sarah Bassett Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 9, 2009 Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Six segments: The lower step of the base of the statue is divided into six segments. The segments are inscribed with events from Sarah Bassett's life. <ul> <li>Sarah (Sally) Bassett</li> <li>Sarah (Sally) Bassett was an enslaved woman owned by the estate of Francis Dickinson of Southampton.</li> <li>On June 1, 1730, she was tried on the "Suspicion of Poisoning several persons" including the mariner Thomas Forester (who owned Sally's granddaughter Beck), his wife Sarah, and Nancey, a household bondswoman.</li> <li>At the time of her sentencing, Sally was valued at one pound, four shillings and sixpence. Another local legend says that Bermuda's national flower, the Bermudiana, grew from Sally's ashes.</li> <li>Sally was charged with supplying Beck with the poison that Nancey discovered in the wall of the kitchen outlet. Although Sally maintained her innocence, stating that she "never deserved" the sentence given, she was burned at the stake for the offence.</li> <li>Local lore holds that it was extremely hot when Sally was executed; and even now, Bermudians may refer to a scorchingly hot day as "a real Sally Bassett day."</li> </ul> Bronze plaque on the upper step of the base of the statue: The African Diaspora Heritage Trail Bermuda Officially Designated a UNESCO Slave Route Proejct Officially Opened 9 February 2009 By the Honorable Premier Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP Extent The size or duration of the resource. 84 in. (213.36 cm) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Basset#/media/File:Statue_of_Sally_Basset.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikipedia</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Visual Arts-Sculpture Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Bermuda Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Government of Bermuda Administration Building, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM12, Bermuda bronze figurative trees https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/a6d1b37b85f295f73c7191ff87a5663a.jpg d8d13ae108623980b97ce80877a24d79 https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/e5fef0a98420a8903c63607521f74a79.jpg ded2c2c10d5174c73c1181bb7c668eee 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 On the Banks of Freedom (Louisville, Kentucky) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Enslaved persons Freedom Kentucky--Louisville Slavery--Kentucky Subject (Object) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource By the Ohio River bordering Kentucky and Indiana, The (Un)known Project installed On the Banks of Freedom, a two-bench monument fixed into a concrete platform. Facing the river, each bench features a polished, reflective black granite backrest with a white limestone seat. The black granite surfaces are etched with the names of enslaved Kentuckians along with portraits representing an enslaved man and woman. Quotes on the back of the benches are from Jefferson County Public School Justice Now participants. The base of each bench is encircled with chains and a broken shackle that symbolizes freedom. Sandblasted on the concrete platform is a poem titled “Finding Me” by spoken-word poet Hannah L. Drake as well as six sets of footprints, representing enslaved families. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Duff, William M., 1953- (lead artist) Caudill, Dave, 1950- (collaborating artist) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photographs: <a href="https://unknownprojecttrail.com/projects/on-the-banks-of-freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Miller, (Un)Known Project</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 19, 2021 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource City of Louisville; Hannah L. Drake and Josh Miller of IDEAS xLab Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Office of Arts and Creative Industries, Louisville Metro Government, 444 South 5th Street, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, 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 Louisville Riverwalk, North 9th and 10th Streets, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, United States Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Black granite; Limestone; Concrete 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. “On The Banks of Freedom Public Art Installation | (Un)Known Project Trail,” Accessed November 3, 2024. https://unknownprojecttrail.com/projects/on-the-banks-of-freedom/. Wolf, Stephanie. “(Un)Known Project’s Memorial Honors Nearly-Forgotten Black People.” Louisville Public Media, June 19, 2021. https://www.lpm.org/news/2021-06-19/unknown-projects-memorial-honors-nearly-forgotten-black-people. Jones, Maggie. “On a Kentucky Riverbank, a Path to Remembrance.” New York Times, June 9, 2021. Accessed November 3, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/arts/design/hannah-drake-unknown-project.html?auth=register-email%5C&register=email. Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on front of bench (1): On the Banks of Freedom “We are descendants of Kings and Queens who were enslaved in America.” Lamont Collins, Founder of Roots 101 African American Museum [Engraved image of an enslaved woman] Unknown Names of Enslaved Kentuckians Frank, Eliza Julia, Unknown, Hannah, Henry, Elizabeth, James, Joe Unknown, John Sallie, Bert, Margaret, Lucinda, Simon, Unknown, Wallace, Rose, Charlie, Becky, Betsy, Unknown, Marry, Dick, Casar, Unknown, Aynefs, Maria, Will, Fletcher, Pompy, Unknown, Jesse, Louis, Sam, Cora, Harriet, Milton, Unknown, Annie, Mandy, George, Scott Inscription on front of bench (2): Names of Enslaved Kentuckians Aggie, Dan, Maria, Sam, Unknown, Eli, Pompy, Evanline, Barney, Unknown, Nellie, Winney, Rachel, Mary Ellen, Unknown, Bobbet, James, Louisa, Edward, Unknown, Joseph, Rosetta, Abraham, Unknown, Alfred, Charlotte, Mack, Wilson, Phebe, Unknown, Catherine, Unknown, Caroline, Edwin, Dennah, Unknown, Laura Ann, William, Patsy, Unknown, Kate, Arnold [Engraved image of an enslaved man] Unknown On the Banks of Freedom “Countless stories of enslaved people have not been told. Say their names and listen to what you hear. It is time for their legacies to appear.” Sage Snyder, JCPS Justice Now Student Sandblasted poem on the concrete platform: Finding Me By Hannah L. Drake If I close my eyes, I can see them. And if I quiet myself, I can hear them. Their voices carry on the wind like the tune from chimes floating in the distant breeze. Who are you? Where did you come from? When you dreamed, what did you dream of? What is your story? What was your name before they gave you that name? Was the name passed down through our family? Am I your descendant? I stare at my face and wonder if I look like you. I try to put faces to shadows. Can I find pieces of your memory in cotton fields and red mud? Scattered bones in unmarked graves that attempt to erase you from history But you were here. You were always here. You existed. Unknown no longer. I found your name…I found you And in finding you, I found me. bench black granite chains inscription limestone names poetry shackles 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/b409a3fa1de8c19d2fe6c0e15cd3f089.jpg 59a7274c03aae521125711073a56e297 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 Underground Railroad Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The memorial and monuments in this collection are dedicated to the Underground Railroad, an organized network of routes and safe houses that assisted freedom seekers [enslaved people] on their journeys northward. The Underground Railroad was part of the larger movement for the abolition of slavery in the United States. The movement to abolish slavery was a complicated political movement that, at its core, was driven by the resistance and activism of enslaved Black people and freedmen and women abolitionists. Historian Manisha Sinha explores the history of American abolition, including the Underground Railroad in The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition (2016).  Although Harriet Tubman is the most famous conductor in the Underground Railroad, she is not the subject of the memorials featured in this collection (see the collection on this site, <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/collections/show/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Abolitionists</a>, to view works specifically dedicated to her life and work). Rather the monuments and memorials featured here, such as Ed Dwight's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1170" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gateway to Freedom: International Memorial to the Underground Railroad</a>, highlight other prominent conductors, as well as celebrate the fortitude and bravery of the freedom seekers as they made the perilous journey north. 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 x 336 in. (426.72 x 853.44 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 Memorial to the Underground Railroad (Battle Creek, Michigan) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--United States Freedom Fugitive slaves--United States Michigan--Battle Creek Public art Public sculpture Underground Railroad Subject (Name) Hussey, Erastus, 1800-1889 Hussey, Sarah Bowen, 1808-1899 Tubman, Harriet, 1822-1913 Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dwight, Ed, 1933- Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Underground_Railroad_sculpture.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 October 24, 1993 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Glenn A. Cross Estate, Battle Creek, Michigan. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 1 Michigan Avenue East, Battle Creek, Michigan, 49017, 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 Kellogg House Park, 2-10 N Monroe Street, Battle Creek, Michigan, 49017, United States Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Underground Railroad Sculpture; Underground Railroad Monument Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1993 Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Bronze plaque: Memorial to the Underground Railroad. From the 1830s to the 1861, thousands of slaves in the southern United States courageously escaped northward to freedom to what became known as the Underground Railroad. Along this secret network, ‘conductors’ like Battle Creek’s Erastus and Sarah Hussey, whose likenesses are captured in this memorial, took great personal risks to ensure the safety of escaping slaves. Harriet Tubman, known as the Black Moses, was a national heroine of this epic struggle and is depicted leading another brave family away from the shackles of slavery. This memorial honors the Underground Railroad and is dedicated to the strength of the human spirit in the quest for freedom. Ed Dwight, Sculptor. Denver, Colorado. 1993. This sculpture was made possible by a gift from the Glenn A. Cross Estate and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 168 x 336 in. (426.72 x 853.44 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Detroit1701.org. “Battle Creek Underground Railroad Sculpture.” Accessed March 19, 2018. http://detroit1701.org/Battle%20Creek%20Underground%20RR%20Sculpture.html. Glesner, Anthony Patrick. "Laura Haviland: Neglected Heroine of the Underground Railroad." Michigan Historical Review 21, no. 1 (Spring 1995): 19-48. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Description An account of the resource At the front of the monument are full-size statues of Erastus Hussey and Harriet Tubman. On the left, Erastus sports mutton-chop whiskers and is dressed a long coat and trousers. He gestures behind him to Sarah Hussey who holds a lantern in her left hand and gestures towards an open doorway--two women enter the door including one who holds a baby. The doorway represents a secret entry into the Hussey's home, a stop on the Underground Railroad in Michigan. Slightly behind Sarah's extended right arm, a man carries a banjo and a load of belongings on his shoulder. Behind the man steps a young boy who grasps a dog on a rope. Behind the boy, is a bas-relief that depicts a wagon drawn by two horses. On the right of the monument, stands a figure of Tubman with a walking stick in her right hand as she gestures behind her towards a group of freedom seekers walking through a woods including a young boy carrying a bed roll, a woman with head wrap, and a man in a hat, coat and trousers who grasps a young child on his back. A bas relief shows a row boat coming ashore while a wagon awaits the freedom seekers on the shoreline. References A related resource that is referenced, cited, or otherwise pointed to by the described resource. Monument and Myth: Commemorating Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad bas-relief bronze figurative lantern https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/3d532efa0f5e97a9ab8f2e0793030342.jpg eae69e31eb6132b4862af76d0d64c0f4 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 Soldiers' Memorial (Jefferson City, Missouri) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Lincoln University Missouri--Jefferson City Public art Public sculpture United States Colored Troops Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The monument depicts the members of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantry who, in 1866, founded Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. The work includes two soldiers and Captain Foster, their white commander, who all are shown atop a pedestal. Behind this main group, another USCT soldier on top of the pedestal assists another standing bronze figure to ascend the pedestal. On the base of the pedestal is a bas-relief of three marching soldiers. The commemorative work also includes two bronze soldiers, wearing knapsacks and bed rolls and whose facial expressions appear weary, walking up the lawn toward the front of the monument.  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 May 2, 2007 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Christner, Inc. (landscape architects); United HRB General Contractors, Inc.; Board of Curators; Lincoln University Foundation Board, Inc.; David B. Henson (17th President of Lincoln University) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Lincoln University, 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65101, 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 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65101, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Inscription on base: Dedicated to the Officers and Soldiers of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries. Inscription on granite plaza: Courage--Sacrifice--Equality Donor bricks Bronze plaque on back of monument: Soldiers Memorial Plaza Dedicated May 2, 2007 President of the University Dr. Carolyn R. Hahoney Board of Curators Greg S. Gaffke, President Rodney J. Boyd, Vice President Marvin O. Teen, Jr., Secretary Dana T. Cutler, Treasurer Cynthia O. Blosser, Member Ralph M. Caro, Member Iris G. Ferguson, Member Gurnie C. Gunter, Member John M. Parker, Member Daniel S. Britts, Student Representatives Bronze plaque on back of monument: Ed Dwight, Sculptor 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. 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/. Arenson, Adam. "Fighting for the Legacy of Lincoln." New York Times, December 13, 2013. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://archive.nytimes.com/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/fighting-for-the-legacy-of-lincoln/. 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://www.visitjeffersoncity.com/listing/soldiers-memorial-plaza-at-lincoln-university/76/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> bas-relief bronze Civil War figurative granite inscription 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/54d94709792e70123c25adea44a98550.jpg 23bc8de5deead109bfb5a4cc0fbb3f55 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 African American History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials grouped under this theme acknowledge the important contributions of African Americans to American history. Slavery is anchored in the commemorative works as part of the larger story of Black existence in the United States. Some monuments, such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1133" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Carolina African-American History Monument</a> and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1134" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas African American History Memorial</a>, include bas-reliefs of enslaved men and women, signaling these states' role in slavery. Other memorials such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truths that Rise from the Roots Remembered</a>, honor the ability of ordinary Black people in Alexandria, Virginia (a slave trade center in the United States) to survive and thrive despite slavery, racism, and white supremacy.  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 Obelisk and pedestal: 276 in. (701.04 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 South Carolina African-American History Monument (Columbia, South Carolina) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) African Americans--History Enslaved persons--Emancipation Public art Public sculpture Slave ships Slavery--South Carolina South Carolina--Columbia Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource Two semicircular gray granite walls, inlaid with twelve bronze panels illustrating 300 years of African American history, frame an obelisk and pedestal. The twelve scenes of African American history include images of the Middle Passage, an African American family on an auction block, enslaved laborers working in a field, men and women celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation, the Jim Crow era, the Great Migration, and images of contemporary African Americans’ important contributions to engineering, law education, sports, politics, and space exploration. At the base of the monument’s obelisk are four rubbing stones from regions of Africa where people were captured - Senegal, Sierra Leone, the Republic of Congo, and Ghana. In front of the memorial, Dwight included a bronze cast of the famous print of the British slave ship Brookes (1787). 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 March 29, 2001 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource African American History Monument Commission; South Carolina Arts Commission; State House Committee; Citizens' Advisory Committe; Design Committee; Fundraising Committee; private donors 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 South Carolina State House Grounds, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, South Carolina, 29201, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Bronze plaque on front of monument: African American History Monument Dedicated - 2001 Ed Dwight - Sculptor Bronze plaque on back of monument: South Carolina African-American History Monument Dedicated to the people of South Carolina Monument Commission Chairman Senator Glenn F. McConnell Vice-Chairman Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter Senator John E. Courson Senator Robert Ford Senator Darrell Jackson Senator McKinley Washington, Jr. Representative Daniel T. Cooper Representative James S. Klauber Representative John L. Scott, Jr. Honorable Jesse Washington, Jr. State House Committee Senator J. Verne Smith, Chairman Citizen's Advisory Committe Dr. Mac Arthur Goodman, Chairman Design Committee Dr. Terry K. Hunter, Chairman Dr. Henry G. Michaux Mr. James Wakefield Fundraising Committee Governor Jim Hodges, Honorary Chairman Mr. John S. Rainey, Chairman Ms. Juanita W. Brown, Co-Chairman Mr. E. Perry Palmer, Co-Chairman Extent The size or duration of the resource. Obelisk and pedestal: 276 in. (701.04 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Granite; Bronze Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Botsch, Carol Sears. “The African-American Monument.” African Americans and South Carolina: History, Politics, and Culture. University of South Carolina-Aiken. Accessed April 15, 2019. https://polisci.usca.edu/aasc/African-AmericanMonument.htm (site discontinued). Davenport, Jim. “A Slave Memorial Now Stands Amid State's Tributes to Confederacy.” Los Angeles Times, March 25, 2001. Accessed April 15, 2019. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-25-mn-42494-story.html. 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: Flickr, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22711505@N05/7917139800" title="African-American History Monument -- State Capitol Grounds Columbia (SC) 2012" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"African-American History Monument -- State Capitol Grounds Columbia (SC) 2012" by Ron Cogswell, CC BY 2.0</a> Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. African American History Monument Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource South Carolina State House, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201, United States bas-relief bronze figurative granite obelisk slave ship https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/2902ee1d6e78b859129e9bdf72705989.jpg d0bb08dcacdd43cecdafe17f70560a41 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 African American History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The monuments and memorials grouped under this theme acknowledge the important contributions of African Americans to American history. Slavery is anchored in the commemorative works as part of the larger story of Black existence in the United States. Some monuments, such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1133" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Carolina African-American History Monument</a> and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1134" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas African American History Memorial</a>, include bas-reliefs of enslaved men and women, signaling these states' role in slavery. Other memorials such as <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truths that Rise from the Roots Remembered</a>, honor the ability of ordinary Black people in Alexandria, Virginia (a slave trade center in the United States) to survive and thrive despite slavery, racism, and white supremacy.  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 408 x 324 in. ( 1036.32 x 822.96 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 Texas African American History Memorial (Austin, Texas) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Abolition of slavery African Americans--History Enslaved persons--Emancipation Juneteenth Public art Public sculpture Slavery--Texas Texas--Austin Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The monumental work includes two bronze walls featuring figural scenes celebrating 400 years of African Americans’ contributions to Texas history. Decorated on both front and back, Dwight includes depictions of African Americans engaged in the cattle, cotton, and oil industries as well as tributes to Mickey Leland, Medgar Evers, Buffalo Soldiers, President Barack Obama, and African American Medal of Honor recipients. The two embellished walls meet at a central column. Scores of African American figures, seemingly comprising the base and shaft of the column, gaze outward at the viewer. The top of the column is adorned with two figures standing on a base that reads “Emancipation.” Both figures, one male, one female, have the cuffs of broken manacles and chains around their wrists. The former raises a lit torch over his head, while the latter holds a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. The monument also serves as a memorial to Juneteenth (June 19, 1865), when hundreds of Union troops arrived in Texas and announced the abolition of slavery in the US. The memorial sits atop a granite base, which features bronze plaques with didactic text. 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 November 19, 2019 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Texas African American History Memorial Committee; Texas Legislative Black Caucus; State of Texas. 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 Texas State Capitol Grounds, 100 West 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701, United States Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Panel 1: First Contact and the Spanish Colonial Era 1528-1820 The first recorded people of African descent arrived in Texas with Spanish explorers and settlers. Estevanico, a Moorish slave from Azamor, Morocco, arrived in Texas in 1528 with a party of Spanish explorers who were shipwrecked on the Gulf Coast near Galveston Island. With three other survivors, Andres Dorantes de Castillo, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and Alonso del Castillo Maldonado, he walked across southern Texas and northern Mexico, showing a talent for Indian languages and acting as an interpreter for the party. Estevanico was later pressed into service by the Viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza, to guide an expedition into what is now Arizona. He was killed at Zuni Pueblo in 1539. His death may have been due to a sacred rattle given to him by Texas Indians, which the Zuni considered an offensive object. Estevanico was one of the thousands of Africans who helped settle Spanish Texas over the course of 300 years. By 1792, African people in Texas comprised 13 percent of the population. Most arrived enslaved. The African-American cultural heritage is a significant legacy that has shaped both our state and national heritage. Panel 2: Slavery During the Mexican National Era 1821-1836 During the Mexican national era, enslaved people of African descent were brought to Texas by the Anglo-American settlers introduced into Texas by Stephen F. Austin and other empresarios, land agents authorized by the Mexican government to help settle Texas. In 1830, Mexican lawmakers prohibited further immigration into Texas from the United States and explicitly banned the introduction of enslaved people into the territory. This ban contributed to increasing tensions between United States settlers and the Mexican government, and was one of the causes of the Texas Revolution from 1835 to 1836. By the time Texas declared independence, there were approximately 5,000 enslaved Blacks in the region. Panel 3: Slavery During the Republic and Early Statehood 1836-1860 Between 1836 and 1860, the slave population in Texas grew from 5,000 to 182,566. The greatest increase in the number of slaves brought to Texas occurred from 1850 to 1865. Among the expanding slave population were children who were purchased and brought to the State, or born in captivity to enslaved parents. Enslaved children typically wore slave cloth shirts made of homespun cotton or wool and were expected to do chores until they were old enough for field work. Enslaved women were expected to bear children and take care of their home life in the slave quarters, and to help farm cotton and other crops. Cotton produced by slave labor was the most important staple in the Texas economy, but slave labor was also integral to the economic growth of Texas in the lumber and construction industries. Several iconic Texas buildings including the 1853 limestone Texas Capitol, the 1856 Governor’s Mansion, and the 1853 Pease Mansion were built with Black slave labor. Most slaves showed skills in farming, animal husbandry, construction, masonry, cooking and blacksmithing. Panel 4: Civil War, Emancipation and Juneteenth, 1861-1865 On the eve of the Civil War, the number of enslaved people in Texas totaled 30 percent of the state’s population. This number continued to grow as slaveholders from other areas of the Confederacy came to Texas as refugees to escape the fighting and brought their enslaved property with them. Scholars estimate that more than 30,000 enslaved people were brought into Texas during the Civil War years alone. The conflict did not readily change the Black experience in Texas, as most African-Americans continued to be held in bondage and forced to labor. Federal troops occupied Texas in June 1865 after the Civil War. General Gordon Granger issued General Order Number 3 at Galveston on June 19, 1865 to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation previously signed by President Abraham Lincoln. That day soon became recognized as Juneteenth or Emancipation Day, although many slaves in Texas were not freed until much later. Juneteenth was officially declared a state holiday in Texas in 1980, and today it continues to be celebrated here and in other states as a milestone of the African-American struggle for freedom. After Emancipation , the former slaves entered the new stage of freedom with a mixture of joy, despair, elation, fear, hope, doubt, certainty and confusion. With little social infrastructure other than their families, they sought to make their way in a nation and state they helped to create, but in which they had very little ownership, input or power. Panel 5: Reconstruction and the Post Slavery Experience 1865-1900 After emancipation, Blacks in Texas, as in other southern states, became members of a society that was unwilling to accept them as equals. Despite efforts to be included in the fabric of Texas society, violence by hostile groups, the lack of access to courts and the ultimate withdrawal of federal troops resulted in the loss of equal protection under the law. In 1866-1867, Blacks could be arrested if they did not have employment, and once jailed, their labor could be forced. Prisoners, the majority of whom were African-Americans, were leased to contractors as convict laborers. These leased prisoners were used much like slaves, including during the construction of the current State Capitol. Although Blacks did serve on juries, vote and hold office for a few years from the late 1870s until the turn of the 20th century, their rights were constantly threatened at the local level and taken away statewide soon after 1900. During the era of Reconstruction, African-Americans sought to live and prosper in the aftermath of slavery. Fifty-two African-American men served Texas as either state legislative members or Constitutional Convention delegates during the last half of the 19th century. They built communities with churches and schools. Some former slaves served in Texas in four African-American regiments with white officers formed in 1866, the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry. Native Americans gave these men the title of “Buffalo Soldiers.” Some African-Americans, including Bob Lemmons, Bill Pickett and Tige Avery became successful cowboys and horse wranglers on many Texas ranches, in part due to skills learned during their years of slavery. Panel 6: Post Reconstruction Challenges and Achievements 1877-1954 The end of Reconstruction proved an uncertain and violent time for African-Americans living in Texas. Riots and lynchings were common occurrences. By the early 20th century, Texas ranked third in the nation for lynching. Violence, however, did not deter Texans of African descent from seeking to improve their economic, political and social status. This period saw major African-American contributions to aviation, sports and the arts--particularly in music. Folk music from the African-Americans in Texas made an important contribution to the development of blues, folk and country music in America. Blacks were barred from attending public schools with Whites in Texas until 1954, when the United States Supreme Court ended public school segregation in the United States. Despite being forced to attend inferior public schools, African-Americans were able to attain higher education at traditionally black colleges including Huston-Tillotson University, Prairie View A&M University, Texas Southern University and Wiley College. During and after World War II, Black Texans played a significant role in advancing Civil Rights. The landmark case Smith v. Allwright (1944) improved the voting rights for African-Americans in the South and Sweatt v. Painter (1950) paved the way for equal access to education by opening the doors of The University of Texas law school to African-American students. More groundbreaking changes followed. African-American voter registration peaked in the 1960s. Activists organized peaceful protests including lunch counter sit-ins, marches and business boycotts. Panel 7: Major Achievements African-American Texans have contributed to the state’s culture, and have gained prominence in a host of fields. Despite the tremendous challenges posed by the institution of slavery, Jim Crow segregation and discrimination, African-Americans overcame and continue to overcome great obstacles to make a place for themselves in the Lone Star State, and are an essential part of Texas history, life and culture. Scott Joplin, a world class composer and pianist, was known as the “King of Ragtime Writers.” Jack Johnson was the first Black heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Bessie Coleman broke historical barriers by becoming the first African-American woman aviator and one of the first licensed female pilots in the world. Navy Mess Attendant Second Class Doris “Dorie” Miller shot down four Japanese warplanes at Pearl Harbor and was awarded the Navy Cross. Barbara Jordan was the first African-American woman elected to the Texas Senate (1966) and later became the first African-American congresswoman from Texas (1972-1978). Congressman Mickey Leland held the office previously occupied by Barbara Jordan and was a champion for equal rights until his untimely death. From exploration of unchartered lands in Texas to exploration of outer space, people of African descent contributed significantly to Texas history. This memorial is dedicated to their struggle and their accomplishments so that both will not be forgotten. Back Panel 1: Battles for Texas Independence from Mexico 1836 Several notable individuals of African descent participated in the battles at the Alamo and San Jacinto in 1836. Joe, slave of William B. Travis, fought at the Alamo and survived. His account of the fighting is one of the most important Alamo narratives. Mack Smith, slave of Ben Fort Smith, and Dick the Drummer, a musician, both participated in the battle of San Jacinto. A story recorded in 1842 by William Bollaert, an Englishman touring Texas, claimed that the Mexican Army probably lost the battle of San Jacinto because of the influence of a mulatto girl named “Emily,” who belonged to Col. James Morgan and was “closeted” in Santa Anna’s tent, detaining him when the Texans charged the Mexican Army camp. No other account of the battle mentions this story, but in 1836 a free woman named Emily D. West, who came to Texas from New York in late 1835, was employed by Col. Morgan as a house worker in New Washington (now Morgan’s Point) on Galveston Bay. Morgan’s settlement was occupied and burned by Santa Anna’s army on April 20, the day before the battle. His servants, unable to escape, were captured by the Mexican Army. Emily, sometimes known as “the Yellow Rose of Texas,” may have been among the prisoners because in 1837, when seeking a passport to leave Texas, she said she had lost her free papers at San Jacinto in April 1836. Back Panel 2: Hendrick Arnold and Samuel McCulloch, Jr. Hendrick Arnold and Samuel McCulloch, Jr. played important roles in the Texas Revolution and the formation of the Republic of Texas. After Texas became independent, both were considered free Blacks, but they were placed under severe legal restrictions. Samuel McCulloch, Jr., who lived near the Lavaca River with his family, has been called “a genuine Texas hero.” McCulloch volunteered to serve in the Texas Army and was wounded at the Battle of Goliad, the only Texan to be injured. After the war in 1837, he petitioned the Republic of Texas for citizenship rights and land. His petition was rejected, but McCulloch performed other military duties for the Republic of Texas, including serving as a spy during the Mexican invasion of San Antonio in 1842. After twenty years of petitioning the Congress of the Republic of Texas and the Texas State Legislature, McCulloch finally received his land in 1858 and settled at Von Ormy in Bexar County, where he farmed and ranched until his death in 1893. Hendrick Arnold’s family resided in San Antonio. In 1835, Arnold and his father-in-law, Erastus Smith, went on a hunting trip. When they attempted to go home, Mexican soldiers, who had since occupied San Antonio, refused to let them return. Subsequently, both Arnold and his father-in-law joined the Texas Army under Stephen F. Austin and worked as soldiers, spies and guides. Arnold became known in military circles as an associate of Sam Houston, an efficient and brave spy, and was cited for his service in the Texas Revolution. With his commendation from the Republic of Texas, he acquired land outside of San Antonio where he is buried today. Back Panel 3: The 21st Century The State of Texas has thrived economically. Early history indicates that the development of the cotton industry, initially dependent on slave labor, as well as the cattle market and the discovery of abundant supplies of oil contributed to this economic wealth. These three profitable industries facilitated Texas’ economic progress. However, such achievements were often at the expense of African-Americans who rarely reaped the benefits of such growth. For 200 years, Texans of African descent struggled for economic, social and political success. They fought to gain access to basic judicial and human rights to secure their enfranchisement and their role in Texas society. In some cases, they achieved some success. In other areas, there is work yet to be done. This Memorial is dedicated to both the struggles and achievements of African-American Texans and the impact of both on the economic and cultural vitality of the State of Texas. Extent The size or duration of the resource. 408 x 324 in. (1036.32 x 822.96 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Granite; Bronze Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. “Texas African American History Memorial, Dedication Ceremony, South Lawn Texas Capital, Saturday, November 19, 2016, 10:00 am.” Program (PDF). Accessed April 15, 2019. https://lrl.texas.gov/scanned/blog/aam_program2.pdf. State Preservation Board, Texas Capitol. “Texas African American History Memorial.” Accessed April 15, 2019. https://tspb.texas.gov/prop/tcg/tcg-monuments/21-african-american-history/index.html. Legislative Reference Library of Texas. “New Texas African American Monument.” Accessed April 15, 2019. https://lrl.texas.gov/whatsnew/client/index.cfm/2017/2/14/New-Texas-African-American-Monument. 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: Flickr, “<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpestana/31271259748" title="Texas African American History Memorial: Ed Dwight..." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas African American History Memorial: Ed Dwight...</a>” by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpestana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">José Pestana</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en" rel="noopener" target="_blank">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Capitol Historical Artifact Collection, State Preservation Board, 201 East 14th Street, Suite 950 (Sam Houston State Office Building), Austin, Texas, 78711, United States bas-relief bronze Civil War figurative granite https://mail.slaverymonuments.org/files/original/e99cf9263fb544faa484bdfef4a57fe0.jpg 07e4dc4e31bfa7cc7bbf65da9ef8bdca 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 Underground Railroad Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Renée Ater Description An account of the resource The memorial and monuments in this collection are dedicated to the Underground Railroad, an organized network of routes and safe houses that assisted freedom seekers [enslaved people] on their journeys northward. The Underground Railroad was part of the larger movement for the abolition of slavery in the United States. The movement to abolish slavery was a complicated political movement that, at its core, was driven by the resistance and activism of enslaved Black people and freedmen and women abolitionists. Historian Manisha Sinha explores the history of American abolition, including the Underground Railroad in The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition (2016).  Although Harriet Tubman is the most famous conductor in the Underground Railroad, she is not the subject of the memorials featured in this collection (see the collection on this site, <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/collections/show/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Abolitionists</a>, to view works specifically dedicated to her life and work). Rather the monuments and memorials featured here, such as Ed Dwight's <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1170" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gateway to Freedom: International Memorial to the Underground Railroad</a>, highlight other prominent conductors, as well as celebrate the fortitude and bravery of the freedom seekers as they made the perilous journey north. 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 277 x 134 x 134 in. (703 x 340 x 340 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 Tower of Freedom (Windsor, Ontario) Subject The topic of the resource Subject (Topic) Antislavery movements--Canada Freedom Fugitive slaves--Canada Ontario--Windsor Public art Public sculpture Underground Railroad Subject (Object Type) Commemorative sculpture Description An account of the resource The Canadian counterpart to Ed Dwight's Gateway to Freedom: International Memorial to the Underground Railroad consists of a twenty-two-foot high granite tower, adorned with a bronze flame symbolizing the “Eternal Flame of Freedom.” Life-size bronze figures stand on opposite sides of the tower’s base. The cluster of four bronze figures facing the river include an African American woman holding an infant and a white woman, often identified as a Quaker “operative.” Behind the women, a man stands with his arms raised in a gesture of praise. On the opposite side of the tower, a singular figure of a woman looks back towards the river and the United States. Despite her age, she clutches a rag doll. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 20, 2001 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Detroit 300; The Underground Railroad Monument Committee of Windsor 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 Windsor Civic Esplanade, 200 Pitt Street E., Windsor, Ontario, N9A 6T6, Canada Has Part A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource. Bronze plaque: THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN CANADA LE CHEMIN DE FER CLANDESTIN AU CANADA From the early 19th century until the American Civil War, settlements along the Detroit and Niagara rivers were important terminals for the Underground Railroad. White and black abolitionists formed a heroic network dedicated to helping free and enslaved African Americans find freedom from oppression. By 1861, some 30,000 freedom-seekers resided in what is now Ontario, after secretly traveling north from slave states like Kentucky and Virginia. Some returned south after the outbreak of the Civil War, but many remained helping to forge the modern Canadian identity. Du début du XIXe siècle à la guerre de Sécession, des villages le long des rivières Detroit et Niagara servirent de terminus au chemin de fer clandestin. Ce réseau d’ abolitionnistes blancs et noirs aida les Afro-Américains à fuir l’oppression pour atteindre la liberté. Ainsi, en 1861, près de 30 000 réfugies d’ascendance africaine, venant d'États esclavagistes comme le Kentucky et la Virginie, vivaient dans ce qui est aujourd’hui l’Ontario. Des Certains la guerre de Sécession certains repartirent vers le sub, mais beaucoup s’installèrent ici en permanence et contribuèrent à forger l'identité du Canada moderne Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada Inscription on the river-facing side of the monument: “Keeping the Flame of Freedom Alive” Inscription on the reserve of the monument: “International Underground Railroad Memorial” Inscription on base: “UNDERGROUND RAILRAOD AREAS OF SETTLEMENT AMERSTBURG DRESEDEN BUXTON CHATHAM COLCHESTER LITTLE RIVER NEW CANAAN PUCE SANDWICH WINDSOR" Bronze plaque in front of the memorial: Tower of Freedom by Ed Dwight Dedicated October 20, 2001, with companion work Gateway to Freedom in Hart Plaza, Detroit. A project of Detroit 300 and the Underground Railroad Monument Committee of Windsor. Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Faires, Nora. "Across the Border to Freedom: The International Underground Railroad Memorial and the Meanings of Migration." Journal of American Ethnic History 32, no. 2 (2013): 38-67. Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Renée Ater Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dwight, Ed, 1933- Extent The size or duration of the resource. 277 x 134 x 134 in. (703 x 340 x 340 cm) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Bronze; Granite Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photograph: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22Tower_of_Freedom%22_by_Ed_Dwight_(2001),_Windsor,_Ontario,_2025-05-31_01.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikipedia Commons</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource City of Windsor, 400 City Hall Square East, Windsor, Ontario, N9A 7K6, Canada bronze figurative granite obelisk