National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, also called the National Lynching Memorial, remembers African American people who were harmed during a sad time in the United States. It was created to help people understand and remember this hard history and to work toward a fairer future for everyone. The memorial was started by the Equal Justice Initiative and opened in downtown Montgomery, Alabama on April 26, 2018.

The memorial has a special space with 805 steel shapes hanging from above. Each shape stands for one of the U.S. counties where unfair and violent acts happened. There are also sculptures that show ideas about unfair treatment and working for peace.

Many people, including experts on buildings, activists, and everyday visitors, think the memorial is very important and powerful. Philip Kennicott from The Washington Post said it is one of the most strong and good new memorials made in many years.

Background

Further information: Lynching in the United States

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice was made by the Equal Justice Initiative in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. It opened to the public on April 26, 2018. The memorial is connected to The Legacy Museum, which opened the same day. The memorial helps people learn about the unfair treatment and injustice that Black communities faced in America.

The memorial has powerful sculptures and displays made by artists. There are also words from important writers and leaders. A special quiet space honors Ida B. Wells. The main part of the memorial has 805 steel beams, each standing for a place where unfair and violent acts happened. The beams carry the names of those who suffered, helping us remember their stories.

Description

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is a special place to remember people who were hurt long ago in the United States. It has 805 steel shapes, each standing for a place where bad things happened. These shapes carry the names of the people who were hurt.

The memorial was made to help us think about these sad parts of history. There is also a special artwork that shows people raising their arms, reminding us to care about unfair treatment that still happens today. The area around the memorial has places to sit and think, and it honors people who told the truth about what happened. The goal is for each place remembered to have its own memorial to keep teaching us important lessons.

Central monuments

Nkyinkyim by Kwame Akoto-Bamfo

The Memorial has three main parts. The first part tells the story of African Americans and the hard journey they faced. Visitors first see a sculpture by Ghanaian artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo called Nkyinkyim, meaning "twisted." This sculpture shows seven figures of different ages and genders linked together. It is part of a project where Akoto-Bamfo creates clay busts to honor people who were once enslaved. This tradition is common among the Akan people in Ghana.

Guided by Justice by Dana King

American artist Dana King created Guided by Justice, showing a key moment from the Montgomery Bus Boycott during the Civil Rights Movement. The sculpture shows three women: a grandmother, a teacher, and a pregnant woman. Footprints near them invite others to join their cause. The sculpture reminds us that many people, not just famous ones like Rosa Parks, helped make a difference.

Raise Up by Hank Willis Thomas

The memorial continues with Hank Willis Thomas's sculpture Raise Up, showing ten Black men in a hard situation. The sculpture connects to today's struggles for fairness and freedom, reminding us that the fight for justice continues.

Importance for Montgomery

Before the 1990s, Montgomery did not fully remember the effects of slavery and racism, even though it had many monuments about the Confederacy. The city now has a Civil Rights trail to remember important events like the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice opened in 2018 and brought more attention to the city. The New York Times named it one of the top places to visit that year. Local leaders think the memorial helps people learn about a difficult part of American history.

The memorial’s opening drew thousands of visitors to Montgomery. Famous musicians like Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, and Usher performed. Important figures such as U.S. Congressman and civil rights movement activist John Lewis also spoke. The Montgomery Advertiser apologized for its past reporting on painful events. The memorial and its museum are expected to bring many more visitors to the city each year.

The Legacy Museum

Main article: The Legacy Museum

The Legacy Museum opened at the same time as the outdoor memorial. It shows the history of how Black people were treated unfairly in America. The museum also talks about unfair treatment that still happens today.

The museum has artwork by many artists. One display has soil from places where painful events happened to Black people in the past. The museum is big and has many stories, old items, and technology to help visitors learn.