The National Slave Ship Museum Louisiana Delegation Meet with Jackson, Mississippi Mayor

Louisiana Delegation meeting with Mayor Lumumba

Today I traveled with a Lloyd Lazard and a Delegation from New Orleans, La to meet with Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Lumumba to discuss the vision and plans that Lloyd  have for establishing a National Slave Ship Museum. Clifton James, Economic Development and Special Project Committee presented the plan before Mayor Lumumba and his Delegation.

The National Slave Ship Museum

Lloyd Lazard has been dreaming of this since the 90s, and now several city leaders are on board. He wants New Orleans, La to be the home of the museum. The plan is to redevelop the Lower Garden District Riverfront turning it into
 an educational corridor. The museum would be built around a full size replica of a slave ship. It’ll include a lab to trace your ancestry. After leaving the meeting we has an opportunity to tour the Smith Robertson Museum and the International Museum of Muslim Cultures at the Mississippi Art Center in Jackson, Mississippi. While touring the International Museum of Muslim Cultures we saw the Timbutku Exhibition. I was truly excited when I saw the Tuareg Exhibition. My maternal African Ancestry DNA matches with the Tuareg People of Niger. Looking at the Tuareg artifacts, remind me of the time I spent in Niger, West Africa. 

Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Everyone was very impressed with the Smith Robertson Museum and happy to see that our history is being preserved, kept and told by the children of former slaves and sharecroppers. From Africa to the slave auction blocks and cotton fields, the curator found a way to tell our story. 

The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. It was mandated and enforced in all public facilities in Southern States. Jim Crow laws are the segregation of public places, public schools, restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains. Although this happened in my time, I can't ever recall going to a "colored only" water fountain.

Pamela D.C. Junior, Museum Manager

Read more: http://wgno.com/2013/09/12/national-slave-ship-museum-one-step-closer-to-being-built-in-new-orleans/#ixzz2kUxO1vvj