Pages

Thursday, June 28, 2012

OLD SLAVE MART MUSEUM


JUNE 28, 2012

A VISIT TO THE OLD SLAVE MART MUSEUM

Charleston, South Carolina (JFK+50) We are vacationing in downtown Charleston, South Carolina for the next few days.


Today I visited THE OLD SLAVE MART MUSEUM located a 6 Chalmers Street.




             The Old Slave Mart Museum
                       6 Chalmers Street
             Charleston, South Carolina
             Photo by John White (2011)


The Museum is in one of the original buildings known as RAMS MART where slave traders came to buy & sell slaves in the mid 19th Century.


One of the 1st displays includes a recording made by Elijah Green who was born on King Street in Charleston in 1943.


Augustus Ladson of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) made this & other recordings of former slaves in 1937.


The original Old Slave Mart Museum opened the following year, 1938.


As a history teacher I knew that "prime" slaves sold for about $1500, but I learned today that in the value of today's money that would be more than $30,000.


The museum includes a lower & upper floor.  The admission price is very reasonable: $7 adults, $5 children/seniors.


You can find more information by checking out their website at www.oldslavemart.org.