Overlooking the Alabama River in Montgomery, the Equal Justice Initiative’s Freedom Monument Sculpture Park stands as a powerful tribute to the millions of Black people who endured slavery in America.

The 17-acre site, the newest addition to Montgomery’s Legacy Sites, is situated along the river where tens of thousands of enslaved people were trafficked. Here, history is confronted not only through words but through astonishing art, original artifacts and immersive experiences that honor the lives, resilience and contributions of those who lived through this dark chapter of American history.

“Freedom Monument Sculpture Park honors the lives and memories of the 10 million Black people who were enslaved in America and celebrates their courage and resilience,” said Tera DuVernay, deputy director of The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. “At this site, along the very river where enslaved people were brought, the works of art invite an immersive, interactive journey and provide a unique view into the lives of enslaved people.”

Freedom Monument Sculpture Park honors the lives and memories of the 10 million Black people who were enslaved in America. (The Legacy Sites / Facebook)

The park is designed to transport visitors through time, offering a deeply moving — and often unsettling — perspective into the lived experiences of enslaved people. One of the most striking elements of the park is an authentic dwelling once inhabited by enslaved people, preserved to showcase the conditions in which they lived. Here, visitors can reflect on the harsh realities of enslavement while acknowledging the strength and endurance of those who survived it.

Another significant installation is a reconstructed train car, reminiscent of those used to transport enslaved people to Montgomery. Inside, visitors hear the sounds of passing trains on nearby tracks — tracks originally laid by enslaved laborers — to create a visceral connection to the past. The experience is designed to remind guests that these histories are not distant; they are deeply embedded in the very landscape of the present.

Hundreds of enslaved people arrived in Montgomery by rail each day. By 1860, nearly 400,000 people were enslaved on or near the Alabama River.

“Visitors can listen to Muscogee family stories as they were told centuries ago on this very spot,” said DuVernay. “You can step inside a train car like those used to traffic enslaved people to Montgomery. You can hear what they heard and stand where they stood.”

The park also serves as a space of artistic expression, where sculptures crafted from bricks made by enslaved artisans pay homage to their skills and contributions. These sculptures, created by more than two dozen artists, stand as testaments to the resilience, creativity and enduring spirit of those who were once denied their freedom.

The sculptures in Freedom Monument Sculpture Park were created by more than two dozen artists. (The Legacy Sites / Facebook)

From a brief history of indigenous peoples to an examination of Africa before and after the arrival of Europeans, Freedom Monument Sculpture Park puts the history of slavery in context and presents powerful stories of survival, perseverance, hope and resistance to the dehumanization that slavery created.

The art collection at the Sculpture Park is a curated narrative effort featuring works by Charles Gaines, Alison Saar and Kwame Akoto-Bamfo alongside major sculptures from Simone Leigh, Wangechi Mutu, Rose B. Simpson, Theaster Gates, Kehinde Wiley and Hank Willis Thomas.

The National Monument to Freedom, standing 43 feet tall and 155 feet long, marks the culmination of the journey through the sculpture park. Using research from the 1870 Census, the first in which formerly enslaved Black people were able to officially record a surname, the National Monument individually lists more than 122,000 surnames that nearly 5 million Black people adopted in 1870 — and that tens of millions of people now carry across generations.

“There’s a narrative of triumph that we need to acknowledge, and the monument is a gesture toward that, as a physical space but also as a way of naming names, making personal, making human this history,” said Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. “For people who are descendants to come and see that name and have a tangible connection made to that legacy is important and necessary.”

Freedom Monument Sculpture Park urges visitors to remember, to learn and to honor the lives of those who came before. (The Legacy Sites / Facebook)

The Freedom Monument Sculpture Park does not seek to provide comfort; it demands confrontation, reflection and, ultimately, understanding. It is a place where grief, resilience and reverence intertwine, urging visitors to remember, to learn and to honor the lives of those who came before.

Stevenson emphasizes that acknowledging history is the first step toward justice. “We need to reckon with and acknowledge that history,” he said. “I believe there’s something better waiting for us that feels more like freedom, that feels more like equality. And for us to get there, we’re going to have to talk about the challenges that we face.”

To learn more about the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park and the Legacy Sites, visit legacysites.eji.org.

This story originally was published on the SoulGrown website.