Montgomery’s new national monument to provide journey through lives of enslaved people

The latest addition to the Legacy Sites around Montgomery will open March 27 and is set to provide an interactive journey through the lives of enslaved people.

The new Freedom Monument Sculpture Park is on the Alabama River and will honor the lives and memories of the millions of Black people who were enslaved in America. The park was created by the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization that dedicates its work to several causes including racial justice, anti-poverty, criminal justice reform and public education.

“At this 17-acre site along the very river where tens of thousands of enslaved people were trafficked, breathtaking art and original artifacts invite an immersive, interactive journey and provide a unique view into the lives of enslaved people.”

~ EJI says about the park on its website

According to the Associated Press, the park’s exhibits include:

• 170-year-old cabins used to house enslaved families
• Whipping post and chains used on trafficked people
• Replicas of a transport box car and slave-holding pen
• Sculptures and art installations
• National Monument to Freedom

New York Times listed Montgomery as one of the 52 places to go in 2024 earlier this year. The news outlet highlighted the opening of the National Monument of Freedom as one of the many reasons to visit.

National Monument to Freedom

Inside the park will be a centerpiece monument that features names of formerly enslaved people who were a part of the 1870 census following the end of the Civil War.

More than 100,000 names are engraved on the granite monument. It stands nearly four stories high

“The 1870 census provided the first opportunity to exercise newfound liberty and express deeply rooted hope for the future by officially registering chosen family names.”

~ EJI says of the National Monument to Freedom

EJI’s Legacy Sites

The sculpture park and national monument are a part of the series of Equal Justice Initiative site in the area. Earlier this year, EJI unveiled a new Rosa Parks statue at Legacy Park.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is located on a hill in downtown Montgomery. EJI said the memorial provides a “comprehensive memorial dedicated to the legacy of Black Americans who were enslaved, terrorized by lynching, humiliated by racial segregation, and presumed guilty and dangerous.”

EJI has also opened the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration which provides an educational experience for the history of Black people in America. The museum tells stories through interactive media, first-person narratives, art, and other exhibits.

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