Written by Meg Aki, Photos by Meg Aki
There are many historical sites, museums and monuments that can be found throughout Savannah that aim to educate visitors about the history of Black culture in the city. Below are a few that you can check out the next time you’re walking around the city.
1) First African Baptist Church
Located at 23 Montgomery Street, First African Baptist Church is the oldest Black church in North America. Even predating the United States’ formation in 1776, First African Baptist Church was organized in 1773 by Reverend George Leile with a mostly enslaved congregation. The church notably served as a stop on the Underground Railroad, housing enslaved people escaping to the North underneath the floorboards. Although much of the church has changed since then due to its age as well as natural disasters, it has maintained many of the original church fixtures including the oldest pipe organ in Georgia. First African Baptist is a church with an incredibly rich history and is still in active use today, holding regular worship services in addition to acting as a historical monument open for tours. You can find more information on their website.
2) Haitian Monument
These life-sized bronze figures are monuments to the often unrecognized role that Haitians had in the Revolutionary War. Located in Franklin Square, the Haitian Monument was completed in 2009 to honor the largest unit of men of African descent who were recruited from present-day Haiti to fight in the war. Although many Black soldiers at the time were enslaved people who were offered freedom in exchange for military service, others volunteered as free men. This was the case for the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue who are depicted in this statue. Following the Revolutionary war, the Chasseurs-Volontaires went on to fight for the independence of Haiti and abolition of slavery.
3) Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum
The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum is located at 460 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the Historic District and features interactive exhibits that document the Jim Crow era and Civil Rights movement in the Deep South. The museum is named after Ralph Mark Gilbert — an important figure during the Civil Rights movement. Gilbert served as president of the Savannah NAACP, a position he used to help push for the eventual hiring of the city’s first Black police officers and effectively ended the white-only primary. Virtual tours of this in depth look at the city’s history are currently available due to the temporary closure due to COVID-19.
4) Beach Institute
Located at 502 E Harris Street, the Beach Institute was founded in 1867 as the first official school for African Americans in Savannah after the emancipation of enslaved people in America. It was established by the American Missionary Association for the purpose of educating newly freed individuals. It was named for Alfred Ely Beach, who was the editor for the Scientific American at the time and was the primary benefactor who made it all possible. This historic building is now the location of the Beach Institute African-American Cultural Center, which is dedicated to Black arts, history, and historic preservation. It is open for visitors to view the current exhibits in addition to their permanent collection of art.
5) Savannah African Art Museum
The Savannah African Art Museum is a non-profit institution that provides engaging experiences that educate about African art. Located at 201 E 37th Street, it holds a collection of over 1,000 artifacts from the 1800s-1900s, sourced from 22 countries and representing over 130 cultures and ethnic groups. The collection features a wide range of pieces that offer a diverse look at African art and the power and spirituality it holds. They are currently hosting virtual exhibits in addition to in-person socially distant tours.
