African Presence in Texas

African American History, African Diaspora, African Presence By State, ancestors, Middle Passage, transatlantic slave trade, Wednesday African History Series

This post continues our Wednesday series that highlights historic Middle Passage/UNESCO Site of Memory markers that have been installed and those locations where a remembrance ceremony was held since MPCPMP incorporated 9 years ago. MPCPMP is/was involved in the planning for the installation of most of these markers (indicated by an * next to the state name), and other organizations are/were responsible for some. Texas* The earliest known person of Read More

African Presence in Virginia

African American History, African Diaspora, African Presence By State, Middle Passage, transatlantic slave trade, Wednesday African History Series

FYI: This is the last of our Wednesday series that highlights historic Middle Passage/UNESCO Site of Memory markers that have been installed and those locations where a remembrance ceremony was held since MPCPMP incorporated 9 years ago. MPCPMP is/was involved in the planning for the installation of most of these markers (indicated by an * next to the state name), and other organizations are/were responsible for some. Virginia* National Park Read More

Chipping Away

African American History, ancestors, captured Africans, descendants of slaves, Middle Passage, slave ports, transatlantic slave trade

We have reached the final month of another year. For the past four years, ours has been a small attempt to redefine and expand the narrative of US American history to include Africans and their descendants as principal and crucial agents in the country’s creation. At times, many in fact, this work has been difficult. MPCPMP repeatedly has found itself in the position of explaining and justifying our mission to people Read More

Symbolic Images

African American History, African Diaspora, ancestors, descendants of slaves, Middle Passage, slavery, transatlantic slave trade

Among people who are part of the Western Hemisphere’s African Diaspora there are certain images that trigger a gut response – the Door of No  Return is one. Viewing a framed image of the ocean, many of us require no description or explanation. In some way we simply know, by instinct almost, that the image is a human memory of separation, departure, loss, immense suffering and sorrow. A raised fist Read More

Why the Middle Passage?

African American History, African Diaspora, ancestors, captured Africans, Middle Passage, slave ports, slave ships, slavery, transatlantic slave trade

Many people have questioned the Middle Passage as the focal point of the Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project (MPCPMP). Why choose this as a defining point of history related to Africans and their descendants? We are often asked why not start in Africa? There are three reasons: All people who were captives from the African Continent had to endure the Middle Passage to arrive in Europe or the Read More

Second Burial

African Diaspora, African literature, ancestors, burial ceremonies, descendants of slaves, ethnic studies, Middle Passage, transatlantic slave trade

Among several West African ethnic people, death does not immediately entitle a person the status of ancestor. Traditionally there is a space of time between physical burial, which is quick, and the ceremonial burial that requires an established ritual, after which an individual joins or becomes an ancestor to the community. Among the Igbo, even issues surrounding inheritance and property cannot be settled until the elaborate second burial is completed. Read More

Florida

African American History, African ethnic groups, Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Latinos, ancestors, captured Africans, descendants of slaves, ethnic studies, Middle Passage, slave ports, slave ships, slavery, transatlantic slave trade

As the state with the nation’s longest history of documented African presence, the Project is interested in highlighting Florida’s Middle Passage sites. We intend to honor ancestors and highlight the influence of Africans and their descendants in developing Florida. This is not an easy task since those in power in a region long considered an outpost or frontier, traditionally supported a pattern of smuggling and unregulated business. Those who invested Read More

Widening the Field

African American History, African Diaspora, captured Africans, Middle Passage, slave ports, slave ships, slavery, transatlantic slave trade

Recently, the Project was contacted by Jonathan Highfield, Professor of Postcolonial Studies at the Rhode Island School of Design’s (RISD) Department of Literary Arts and Studies, to explore the possibility of collaboration with us on Middle Passage history.  Fifteen members of his class, Dialogue across the Diaspora, will travel to South Africa to assist students at the Centre for African Studies at the University of Cape Town to mount an Read More

Worthless or Priceless

African American History, African Diaspora, ancestors, descendants of slaves, transatlantic slave trade

We need to put this on the table for your consideration: As we travel this nation’s Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, it is astounding to experience the initial hesitation and resistance within the Black community to honoring and remembering African ancestors. The response is across the board from all strata – social, cultural, economic, religious, educational. Conditioning over a 500-year period marked by enslavement and European dominance has made many of Read More

Both Sides

African Diaspora, African literature, ancestors, captured Africans, descendants of slaves, transatlantic slave trade

We are now in the season of departure and arrival (May-September), the season that marked the transatlantic trade in humans. It was a time when people were wrenched from their homes and communities, enslaved, forced to march to the coast, and endured the Middle Passage. They continuously confronted the unknown and the unimaginable. Ghanaian author Ama Ata Aidoo prescribes what descendants of those captured Africans and all others related to Read More