Savannah's Controversial African-American Monument

David and I always stay at the River Street Inn when we go to Savannah.  It's a former Cotton Mill.  The street level lobby is on the fourth floor on Bull Street.  The first floor is on River Street with its blocks and blocks of historic buildings.

In 2002, close to the Hiatt Hotel, on River Street, a beautiful but controversial statue was added. It depicts a modern family while chains representing slavery lie at their feet.

But the statue didn't cause nearly as much controversy as the inscription below it.  It's a graphic description of the truth written by Maya Angelou.  City officials fought with African-American and others for months but the inscription won.  Here it is.

We were stolen, sold and bought together from the African content.  We got on the slave ships together.  We lay back to belly in the holds of the slave ships in each others excrement and urine together, sometimes died together, and our lifeless bodies thrown overboard together.  Today, we are standing up together, with faith and even some joy.  

Maya Angelou


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