BY: Alecia Hicks
The Equal Justice Initiative was founded in 1989 by a public interest lawyer named Bryan Stevenson. The Initiative was founded with the goal of providing legal representation for those who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails.
Over the years, Stevenson and his team have not only focused on prison reform but also on racial justice and public education. Our history, dating all the way back to the 1860s, has not always been bright. Montgomery was once a place for many historical moments. From slave auctions to the Civil Rights Movement, the city has seen many things. The Equal Justice Initiative chose to honor the many men, women, and children who were victims of a very dark past.
One way they are able to educate the public is through their Equal Justice Initiative Museum. The museum was opened in 2018. There are two parts to the museum: the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. The Legacy Museum is located near an old slave auction where thousands of enslaved people were trafficked on the infamous Alabama river. The museum showcases first-person accounts, videography, and imagery that submerges people into what it was like to be a slave awaiting auction. The second part, the Memorial for Peace and Justice, memorializes the lynching victims who will never be forgotten.
Since 2018, the museum has seen a substantial number of locals and tourists who visit in hopes of learning more about the rich history Montgomery holds. They have recently launched an expansion of the museum in hopes that it will increase the knowledge of slavery in America. Construction has already started on the pavilion and welcome center. This is where the majority of the expansion will be taking place. They hope to have it open and ready by the fall.
The museum covers a lot of information regarding slavery, but there is so much more to be covered. With the expansion, the museum will cover the transatlantic slave trade as well. It will also acknowledge the role that the North played in the slave trade within America. So much emphasis is put on the South, but America as an entire country, in many ways, supported and excused the atrocities of slavery. To top it off, the museum will also incorporate an art gallery that features world-renowned artists such as Glenn Ligon, Deborah Roberts, Jacob Lawrence, Alison Saar, Elizabeth Cathlett, Gordon Parks and Carrie Mae Weems.
Stevenson’s goal is to create a bigger space to allow more visitors into the museum. Ensuring that as many people can be educated on the history that Montgomery, America, and the world has been through in regards to slavery is the ultimate goal.
Image credit: The Montgomery Advertiser
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