Traveling to culturally significant locations

 Lauren Wall- Traveling to Culturally Significant Locations (6 points)

Reflection Summary:

    During our recent trip to the London Museum Docklands, we explored exhibits that highlight the development of the Port of London and its historical ties to the Atlantic slave trade. Each floor of the museum presented a unique theme. The first floor focused on trade expansion, including discussions about the sugar trade and slavery. The second floor showcased the growth of the new port and the establishment of the first port empire. The third floor featured the Thames Gallery, while the top floor was dedicated to special exhibitions.

    My favorite part of the visit was the first floor, where a powerful display linked London, sugar, and slavery. One wall featured extensive information about slave ships, detailing their names, captains, principal owners, the weight of the ships, the ports from which they departed, the origins of the enslaved Africans, the number of people on board, and their final destinations. It was both moving and heartbreaking to see how many individuals were involved in this tragic chapter of history, reduced to mere statistics. I also noted a banner labeled "Anti-Apprenticeship," which criticized the ineffectiveness of the apprenticeship system and highlighted the ongoing inhumane treatment of people in the same light of slavery.

    This experience reminded me of a previous first-year honors trip to the Legacy Museum and Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery, Alabama. There, we learned about the far-reaching impact of slavery on the dispersal of Black people globally. At the Freedom Monument, we encountered a wall listing the last names of enslaved individuals, allowing visitors to trace their ancestry. This, in turn, reminded me of the display in London, which suggested that if you could trace your heritage back to a specific ship, your own history might be connected to it.

    Visiting the London Museum of Docklands was incredibly impactful, especially in understanding how colonization has shaped the experiences of Black people, compelling many of us to retrace our roots across different cities worldwide.