The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, located in Montgomery, Alabama, is a powerful and poignant monument dedicated to the legacy of enslaved African Americans, the victims of racial terror lynchings, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the United States. Opened to the public on April 26, 2018, the memorial is often referred to as the National Lynching Memorial. It was created by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a nonprofit organization founded by attorney and civil rights activist Bryan Stevenson.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice was conceived as a response to the long history of racial violence and injustice in the United States, particularly the widespread lynchings that occurred between the end of Reconstruction in 1877 and the mid-20th century. These lynchings were used as tools of racial terror to enforce white supremacy and control African American populations through fear and brutality. The EJI aimed to create a space where this history could be acknowledged and confronted, and where the victims could be honored and remembered.
The memorial is situated on a six-acre site overlooking downtown Montgomery. Its design, by MASS Design Group, is both evocative and solemn. The central feature is a large square structure with 800 suspended steel columns, each representing a county in the United States where a lynching occurred. The names of over 4,400 documented victims of racial terror lynchings are engraved on these columns, symbolically hanging from the ceiling to evoke the brutal nature of lynching. Among these columns is one for Jasper County, Missouri, which commemorates a lynching that took place in Joplin.
As visitors walk through the memorial, the columns rise and fall in height, creating a disorienting and powerful visual experience that reflects the physical and emotional weight of this history. The structure is surrounded by a landscaped park with sculptures, reflection spaces, and interpretive panels that provide context and historical information.
Several notable sculptures and artworks are featured at the memorial. At the entrance, visitors encounter a striking sculpture by Ghanaian artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, which depicts enslaved African individuals in chains, evoking the brutal reality of the transatlantic slave trade. Another powerful piece is the "Raise Up" sculpture by Hank Willis Thomas, which features bronze statues of African American men with their hands raised, referencing the vulnerability and dehumanization of Black bodies throughout history.
Located a short distance from the memorial is the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration. The museum, also established by the EJI, is housed in a former warehouse where enslaved people were once held. It traces the history of racial injustice in America from slavery and lynching to segregation and contemporary issues such as mass incarceration and police violence.
Located a short distance from the memorial is the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration. The museum, also established by the EJI, is housed in a former warehouse where enslaved people were once held. It traces the history of racial injustice in America from slavery and lynching to segregation and contemporary issues such as mass incarceration and police violence.
The Joplin lynching, commemorated at the memorial, occurred in 1903 when an African American man named Thomas Gilyard was lynched by a mob in Joplin, Missouri. Gilyard was accused of assaulting a white woman, and despite scant evidence and his claims of innocence, he was taken from the jail by a mob and hanged from a telegraph pole. This brutal act was part of a broader pattern of racial violence intended to instill fear and maintain white supremacy in the region.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice has had a profound impact on the national conversation about race and justice in the United States. It provides a space for reflection, education, and reconciliation, encouraging visitors to confront the painful history of racial violence and to consider its lasting effects on American society. By commemorating the victims of lynching and other forms of racial terror, the memorial seeks to acknowledge and honor those who suffered and to promote a more just and equitable future. It stands as a testament to the resilience and dignity of African Americans and as a call to action to address ongoing racial injustice.
The creation of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice represents a significant step in the effort to reckon with America's history of racial violence and to promote healing and understanding. It has become a vital landmark for those seeking to learn about and confront the legacies of racism in the United States.