Purpose and Perspective: Memorialization of Slavery in West Africa

Abstract

West Africa has been subject to several atrocities including colonialism and slavery. These events have not been forgotten but are rather memorialized in hopes of finding identity in these scars. African exhibits are unique in their voice that attempts to engage history in a way other interpretations cannot. These portrayals must be analyzed in order to examine how the legacy of slavery has persisted in African society and what that means in terms of connection, outreach, and discourse. Specific sites around the region culminate the history of slavery which includes the role of European colonists, outcomes, and geography.