March 22nd 2024.
Get ready to mark your calendars, because on March 27th, a groundbreaking and powerful new site will be opening its gates in Montgomery, Alabama. The Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, spanning across 17 acres, is an incredible endeavor by the Equal Justice Initiative. Their goal is to create a space that truly delves into the harsh realities of slavery and its lasting impact on America, through a unique combination of historical artifacts, modern art installations, original research, and personal stories. This project, as reported by The Birmingham Times, aims to fill a void in education while also honoring the millions of individuals who endured unimaginable cruelty with unwavering hope.
Bryan Stevenson, the Founder and Director of EJI, expressed his belief that this park will become a special place for millions of people seeking to come to terms with the history of slavery and pay tribute to those who persevered despite immense hardship. With its opening just around the corner, Freedom Monument Sculpture Park is already receiving national attention, with anticipation building for its grand debut.
Visitors to the park will be met with a powerful and thought-provoking collection, including 170-year-old slave dwellings, replicas of holding pens, rail cars, and even bricks that were crafted by the hands of enslaved individuals nearly 200 years ago. But amidst these reminders of the brutalities of slavery, the park also highlights stories of resilience, determination, and defiance against the dehumanizing forces of slavery. As Stevenson puts it, "Many of us are the heirs to that extraordinary perseverance and hope."
At the heart of the park stands the 43-foot National Monument to Freedom, soaring at 155 feet tall and engraved with over 122,000 surnames of formerly enslaved Black Americans and millions of others across generations. Surrounded by train tracks that were built by enslaved laborers, the park is situated along the Alabama River, which has been the homeland of Indigenous peoples for centuries before the arrival of Europeans. The art featured in the park is a collaborative effort, with newly commissioned pieces as well as major sculptures created by renowned artists such as Charles Gaines, Alison Saar, Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, Simone Leigh, Wangechi Mutu, Rose B. Simpson, Theaster Gates, Kehinde Wiley, and Hank Willis Thomas.
Stevenson, who initially avoided visiting plantations, eventually came to appreciate their raw authenticity. He explains, "Building a narrative around this land was the objective...a place where people can deeply and fully engage with the legacy of slavery and primarily the lives of enslaved individuals, in order to have a deeper understanding. It's about humanizing it." This sentiment was echoed in an interview with NBC News.
Situated near the Memorial to Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum, the new park will also be in close proximity to the Legacy Plaza, where EJI unveiled a seated monument of Rosa Parks in February, as reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE. This addition to the area has sparked excitement and anticipation, with many looking forward to experiencing the powerful and meaningful journey that Freedom Monument Sculpture Park has to offer.
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