Africa News: The International African American Museum to soon open in Charleston

The International African American Museum will soon open in Charleston, South Carolina, at one of the country’s most historically significant slave trading ports. Overlooking the sacred site of Gadsden’s Wharf, where an estimated 45% of enslaved Africans entered America, the museum houses exhibits and artifacts that explore how African Americans’ labor and resistance shaped the nation and the world. It also includes a genealogy research center to assist families in tracing their ancestors from their arrival on American soil. “Truth sets us free, free to understand, free to respect, and free to appreciate the full spectrum of our shared history, free to feel empathy and a common purpose, and free to build a stronger future together,” said Joseph Riley, former Mayor of Charleston, speaking at the opening ceremony on Saturday. The museum, which took more than 23 years to complete, was originally scheduled to open in 2020 but faced delays due to the coronavirus pandemic and supply chain issues for construction materials.

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