AphroChic Magazine: Issue No. 13.

VISUAL CUES
Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, SC, was the port of arrival for nearly half of all enslaved Africans brought
to North America. It was that history that made the wharf location so important for the new International
African American Museum that opened this summer. The museum's goal is to tell "the unvarnished stories
of the African American experience across generations, the trauma and triumph that gave rise to a resilient
people." The stunning building hovers 13 feet above the earth on pillars, symbolically highlighting the idea that
this is hallowed ground that should be honored. Garden paths are filled with plants that represent both where
enslaved people came from in Africa and the legacy they built here. So a Palm Grove studded with Canary
Island Palms is a reflection of the African Diaspora, while a Sweetgrass Field honors the Lowcountry basket
weaving traditions. Inside, 12 permanent exhibitions and 9 galleries offer more than 150 historical objects, 30
works of art, and 50 films and digital interactive experiences that bring history to life, framed by a gateway
to the Atlantic Ocean. There is both tragedy and celebration in the exhibits, including African Roots/African
Routes, showcasing both the cultures of West and West Central Africa and tracing the movement of people of
African descent through the slave trade. Carolina Gold examines the transformative impact of enslaved people
on the lucrative rice industry. And Gullah Geechee highlights the history of the Gullah Geechee peoples and
the issues facing their communities today. For more information, go to iaamuseum.org.
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