America is often the first country that comes to mind when thinking of destinations that discuss our storied past of slavery & civil rights struggles through art and monuments. However, there are many artistic and important installations around the world that reference traumatic chapters like slavery and Jim Crow laws, while others honor the beauty and resilience of Black people. Knowing that a destination has connections to Black history makes it even more desirable and Black Travel Summit has chosen to highlight 8 places to visit that can connect you to that history.
Have you seen any of the monuments in the list of destinations below?
1. Senegal
Perched on a hill in Dakar, Senegal, is The African Renaissance Monument, also referred to as Monument to the African Renaissance. The representation of a man, woman and child, emerging from a volcano was inaugurated at a ceremony on April 3, 2010, featuring hundreds of drummers and dancers. The African Renaissance Monument stands erect against the West African skyline in Senegal at 164 feet high, taller than the Statue of Liberty in the U.S.A.
2. Denmark
In Denmark, where most of the statues represent prominent white men, two Black artists recently unveiled a striking statue in tribute to a 19th-century rebel queen who led a fiery revolt against Danish colonial rule in the Caribbean. It is Denmark’s first public monument to a Black woman.
The sculpture was inspired by Mary Thomas, known as one of “the three queens.” Thomas, along with two other female leaders, unleashed an uprising in 1878 called the “Fireburn.” Fifty plantations and most of the town of Frederiksted in St. Croix were burned, in what has been called the largest labor revolt in Danish colonial history.
Henrik Holm, senior research curator at Denmark’s National Gallery of Art, said in a statement: “It takes a statue like this to make forgetting less easy. It takes a monument like this to fight against the silence, neglect, repression and hatred.”
He added: “Never before has a sculpture like this been erected on Danish soil. Now, Denmark is offered a sculpture that addresses the past. But it is also an artwork for the future.”
3. Colombia
According to The World, approximately “250,000 African slaves” were shipped to Colombia, and most of them arrived at the port of Cartagena.
Alex Rocha, who gives tours specifically highlighting Black history, said, “through activism and art, Cartagena’s Afro-Colombian population has become increasingly visible, which is reflected in murals, statues and public spaces named after Black Colombians.”
In the Cartagena district of Getsemaní, many of the murals prominently feature Black figures. According to Essence, “the village of Palenque was founded by escaped slaves in 1603, and locals have preserved their African culture through agriculture, art, music, education, and tourism.
4. Ghana
Standing over the Gulf of Guinea is Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, which served as a dungeon for captured slaves in the colonial era. The tours of the castle grounds and its dungeons are unsettling but an important piece of history for all who visit.
When the dungeons were in use, there was hardly any natural light that could enter. According to Smithsonian Magazine, “cells served as bedrooms, dining rooms and bathrooms for hundreds at any given time.”
Embedded in the walls of the dungeons are the “fingernail remnants, blood and skin,” of slaves who tried in vain to escape.
5. Jamaica
Jamaica is known for its beautiful beaches and welcoming people but, did you know that the island is also rich in art capturing the beautiful spirit of Black people.
The Gleaner reported that the large statues in Kingston’s Emancipation Park were recently painted solid black to give them a majestic look. They grace the entrance to the park with their heads symbolically tilted towards the sky.
The rest of the park is beautiful, with well-manicured grounds and lush, tropical flora.
National Heroes Park, also in Kingston, is the largest botanical garden in the city. Some of the island’s most prominent leaders, such as Marcus Garvey, are buried there.
6. Haiti
Haiti’s place in Black history is forever cemented by the fact that it was the first Black republic.
In Port-Au-Prince, there’s the Le Negre Maroon statue, which honors the bravery of those who overthrew French rule at great cost to themselves. It’s considered one of the most poignant memorials in the Caribbean.
According to Uncommon Caribbean, the statue’s “left leg has a broken shackle, denoting hard fought freedom, a machete in the right hand and a conch shell raised to alert the masses.”
7. Martinique
This Caribbean island is home to the moving Anse Cafard Slave Memorial.
This group sculpture in Le Diamant was carved from stone and completed in 1998. As noted by Black and Abroad, it invites the public’s interaction; having “no gates, chains or fences.”
The lack of variety in the expressions of the statues is deliberate. Though abstract, they all appear forlorn as they face the sea with their shoulders hunched.
The fifteen statues, arranged in a triangle, symbolize the slaves who died after a cargo ship crashed against the rocks close to shore in 1830.
8. Barbados
The Emancipation Statue, known to locals as “Bussa,” is in Bridgetown.
According to Go Barbados, “this was the name of a slave who helped inspire a revolt against slavery in Barbados in 1816.”
Bussa is shown with his arms raised and chains broken.
Emancipation Day is celebrated in Barbados on August 1st.
Leading up to our second annual Global Summit, Black Travel Summit will continue to highlight those who have made a major impact on Black travel. These monuments and the discussions they create allow us to celebrate and come together in continuing the conversation of breaking barriers for the Black community.
To celebrate Black History Month, take advantage of our BHM sale for the upcoming Black Travel Summit, October 20-22nd. From now until 11:59PM EST on February 17, 2023, enjoy 15% off all practitioner and a la carte tickets. Members get 20% off (check the community app for more info).
Visit https://btsnew.blacktravelsummit.com/global-summit/ and use code BHM2023 to purchase.
