"To Be Sold" Exhibition Enslaved Labor and Slave Trading in the Antebellum

Through a compelling blend of historical documents and visual art, the exhibition sheds light on the human stories behind the commodification of enslaved individuals, offering a profound exploration of a painful chapter in South Carolina and American history.

This exhibition is presented in collaboration with the Partners in Racial Justice and the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.

Central to the exhibition are authentic 19th-century slave advertisements, meticulously researched by Seidler, a Charleston native who bravely confronts her family's legacy of three generations of enslavers. These historical artifacts are brought to life through the vivid paintings of John W. Jones, who reimagines the lives and identities of those enslaved. Jones's artwork, known for its historical accuracy and emotional depth, serves as a powerful counter-narrative to the sanitized depictions of slavery, emphasizing the resilience and humanity of the enslaved.

The exhibit, "To Be Sold: Enslaved Labor and Slave Trading in the Antebellum South," allows visitors to have a transformative experience of the past in deeply moving and educational way while fostering a space for reflection and dialogue.

** Please email: [email protected] to schedule group tours**

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