On September 29, 1526, 498 years ago, the first recorded shipment of captive Africans arrived with Spanish colonizers on the North American mainland in the Sapelo Bay region of Georgia. This is not well-known African America history specifically related to trans-Atlantic human trade. It is the start of a continuous pattern of exploitation, oppression, survival and resistance spanning more than three hundred years with a legacy that exists today.

This podcast is a conversation with members of the Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project and Crossing the Waters Institute, two organizations that raise awareness and commemorate the more than half million Africans who were transported to the United States, and under force contributed with their knowledge, skills,labor and culture to the creation of the United States.

Observing the 25th anniversary of the Middle Passage Pilgrimage Project are Ingrid Askew and Sister Clare, founders of Crossing the Waters Institute and Ann Chinn from the Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project.


Show Notes
The following links to what was mentioned in the show:

Crossing the Waters Institute for Cultural Exchange

Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project

Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project Memorial Day 2020 Slideshow

PBS Documentary: This far by faith (Segment: Rise up and call their names)

Bomba Dance Tutorial with Afro-Puerto Rican Dancer Mar Cruz | If Cities Could Dance

Credits
Song Credits:
Melancholly Lull by Vital
Royalty Free Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music
License code: GHSG4LYAWYBKBEES

African Night
Music by Paulus Jo from Pixabay

If you’ve tuned into the show before, then you know that most of our conversations are centered around public art, history and racial justice. The combination of these three things are the essence of what makes this topic so interesting: how does one tackle the artistic, historic and cultural meaning behind a public structure in the best way possible? For the most part, these monuments are city wide issues that permeate the public discourse of a community. Of course, there are times like in 2020 when many eyes are on specific monuments like the Columbus statue in St. Paul and Monument Avenue in Richmond. But for the most part, these are local issues that, with enough public discourse and political backing, are resolved to some degree.

However, there are unique instances where an oppressive monument has so much artistic weight, so much history and so much cultural impact that the conversation around it goes beyond these three elements. What results is a structure that is essentially too big to fail, despite the outdated meaning of the monument itself. It’s hard to find examples like this in the United States, but there is one that stands out above the rest. With a size of over 17,000 square feet engraved in one of the biggest geological formations in the country, the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain is a fascinating story to say the least.




Not only is it the biggest confederate monument in the country, it’s also a tourist attraction to anyone visiting Georgia. A rebrand of Stone Mountain Park in the 80s made what was originally a bland history-focused walk into a family friendly amusement park that just so happens to be centered around confederate soldiers. Almost everyone that lives in Georgia has been or knows someone who has made the trek up the mountain, and the sight of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson are clear as day. Many scholars, historians, and political organizations have advocated for change. However, changing Stone mountain and its accompanying engraving is nowhere near an easy task. To speak to this, we sat down with Sheffield Hale and Claire Bailey from the Atlanta History Center.

The Atlanta History Center, or AHC, is a history museum and research center located in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1926, the museum currently consists of nine permanent, and several temporary, exhibitions. They also have a variety of programs and initiatives aimed at connecting people to history and culture in a thoughtful and comprehensive way. One of these projects is the Confederate Monument Interpretation Guide, founded in 2016 with a focus on breaking down Lost Cause ideology. Sheffield Hale is the CEO of the AHC, and Claire Haley is the CEO and VP for Democracy Initiatives at the Atlanta History Center.



As a pioneer in the conversation around monuments of oppression, we were very excited to finally talk to them. Enjoy the show!

When it comes to the conversation around Monuments of oppression, there are a few obstacles that usually come into play.

To start, there's the Daughters of the Confederacy, the neo-Confederate association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers. They work all over the country to “preserve the legacy” of Confederate soldiers by actively fighting against any Confederate monument removal. Additionally, there are the white nationalist groups that, through misinformation and a lot of anger, block peaceful protests and legislative progress all over the country as well.

But in southern states in particular, a different kind of obstacle has proven to be quite difficult to overcome. I’m talking about specific laws and codes that get in the way of social progress.

Let’s take a look at Mississippi, for instance. Mississippi was the last state in the country to have the Confederate emblem on its flag. Mississippi state politicians have also had laws protecting Confederate monuments on the books since 1972. Structures, including the "War Between the States" Monument, are prohibited from being relocated, removed, or defiled by the Mississippi Code of 1972.

South Carolina is no different. Since 2000, the South Carolina Heritage Act has been cited as a way to protect Confederate monuments. The act was an amendment to a code of laws in 1976.

And now, recent news has come up about Florida proposing a bill that would Allow civilians to sue when Confederate monuments are damaged or removed, making it, if passed, one of the most detrimental pieces of legislation to the conversation around monuments of oppression.

Although there are a myriad of obstacles that come up when dealing with racial justice in southern states, there are still organizations and movements who are working twice as hard to get the job done on a grassroots and statewide level.

This month, the Monuments Toolkit headed down to Alabama to speak to two amazing women who are fighting back against these obstacles in their own unique ways.

The Monumental Project spoke with Camille Bennett of Project Say Something and Michelle Browder from the Mothers of Gynecology Monument. Enjoy!