African American Monument, Savannah
The African-American Families Monument on River Street in Savannah serves as a tribute to the city's African-American heritage and highlights the often-overlooked history of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
This monument, made of bronze and granite, portrays a family of four coming together in embrace following their emancipation. They face the Savannah River and the western coast of Africa, where the slaves' harrowing journey began. Inscribed with a poignant quote, this monument, albeit controversial, was crafted by Dorothy Radford Spradley, a professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design. It not only acknowledges the significant contributions made by African Americans but also symbolizes their fresh start in the Americas.
In January 2001, the city council approved the project but postponed a decision regarding a quote by Maya Angelou that was meant to be displayed on the monument's base. The proposed quote contained passages like, "We lay back to belly in the holds of the slave ships in each others鈥� excrement and urine together, sometimes died together, and our lifeless bodies were thrown overboard together." At the time, this quote was deemed too powerful, particularly due to the monument's planned location along the popular Savannah River promenade, a major tourist attraction in the city. A year later, an altered version of the inscription, which read, "Today, we are standing up together, with faith and even some joy," received unanimous approval from the city council.
The monument was formally dedicated in 2002. In July 2019, a plaque was added to its base, commemorating the efforts of Abigail Jordan, an African American activist, who played a pivotal role in bringing the monument to fruition.
This monument, made of bronze and granite, portrays a family of four coming together in embrace following their emancipation. They face the Savannah River and the western coast of Africa, where the slaves' harrowing journey began. Inscribed with a poignant quote, this monument, albeit controversial, was crafted by Dorothy Radford Spradley, a professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design. It not only acknowledges the significant contributions made by African Americans but also symbolizes their fresh start in the Americas.
In January 2001, the city council approved the project but postponed a decision regarding a quote by Maya Angelou that was meant to be displayed on the monument's base. The proposed quote contained passages like, "We lay back to belly in the holds of the slave ships in each others鈥� excrement and urine together, sometimes died together, and our lifeless bodies were thrown overboard together." At the time, this quote was deemed too powerful, particularly due to the monument's planned location along the popular Savannah River promenade, a major tourist attraction in the city. A year later, an altered version of the inscription, which read, "Today, we are standing up together, with faith and even some joy," received unanimous approval from the city council.
The monument was formally dedicated in 2002. In July 2019, a plaque was added to its base, commemorating the efforts of Abigail Jordan, an African American activist, who played a pivotal role in bringing the monument to fruition.
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African American Monument on Map
Sight Name: African American Monument
Sight Location: Savannah, USA (See walking tours in Savannah)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Savannah, USA (See walking tours in Savannah)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Savannah, Georgia
Create Your Own Walk in Savannah
Creating your own self-guided walk in Savannah is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
African-American Heritage Tour
The history of America has many themes, but the theme of African American history that has touched many the most is the theme of resilience. Indeed, African Americans' enduring strength and resilience in the face of adversity have been the subjects of many songs, books, and movies in recent years. Savannah, Georgia, whose African-American population makes up about 60 percent of total... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.4 Km or 2.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.4 Km or 2.7 Miles
River Street Sightseeing and Shopping
The story of Savannah's River Street begins in 1733 with General James Edward Oglethorpe's landing on the bank of the Savannah River and founding the British colony of Georgia. Today, the cobble-stoned River Street caters to a variety of interests, combining the rustic beauty of the past with the energy of the present.
The half-mile-long promenade is one of the city's major... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.7 Km or 0.4 Miles
The half-mile-long promenade is one of the city's major... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.7 Km or 0.4 Miles
Savannah's Historical Churches
The conspicuous churches of various styles and denominations 鈥� Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Unitarian, and Methodist 鈥� dot the cityscape of Savannah, Georgia, in abundance. With their spires reaching high, as if attempting to touch heaven, these churches stand like sacred sentinels, guarding the city's spiritual heritage and illuminating its architectural grandeur.
The... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
The... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Historical Houses Walking Tour
Savannah, Georgia breathes history. You can feel it in the cobblestone alleyways and quaint squares dotting the city. An enchanting walk through the heart of Savannah's Historic District (one of the most carefully preserved in the United States) highlights an array of beautiful homes.
Saved by the forward-thinking residents from being bulldozed in the 1960s, these gorgeous structures (with... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Saved by the forward-thinking residents from being bulldozed in the 1960s, these gorgeous structures (with... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Savannah Introduction Walking Tour
Savannah may not be the whole of Sweet Georgia, but no Georgia is complete without Savannah, that's for sure.
This coastal city is named after the river upon which it stands, whose name is likely to be the variant pronunciation of 鈥淪hawnee鈥�, the Native American tribe which inhabited the area in the 1680s. Alternatively, it could have derived from the Spanish 鈥渟abana鈥�, referring to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
This coastal city is named after the river upon which it stands, whose name is likely to be the variant pronunciation of 鈥淪hawnee鈥�, the Native American tribe which inhabited the area in the 1680s. Alternatively, it could have derived from the Spanish 鈥渟abana鈥�, referring to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles