National Slave Memorial, Proposed national memorial at National Mall, Washington DC, United States
The National Slave Memorial is a proposed monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC, meant to honor the millions of people who were enslaved in the United States. It would stand among the nation's significant monuments and serve as a place for reflection on this pivotal historical experience.
The proposal was introduced to Congress in 2003 to integrate the experiences of enslaved people into the nation's historical narrative. Although the legislation did not pass, this discussion ultimately led to support for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which later opened on the National Mall.
The proposed memorial would create a space where visitors could contemplate the experiences of enslaved people. It represents a desire to acknowledge uncomfortable historical truths and keep them visible in the landscape of memory.
The memorial does not currently exist as a completed monument on the National Mall, so visitors can only understand the proposal by exploring the area and the nearby National Museum of African American History and Culture. This museum collection instead offers detailed perspectives on the history of enslaved people in the United States.
The original plan placed it near the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, creating a physical connection between the presidents and slavery's legacy in the national landscape. This symbolic arrangement would have made visible the central role slavery played in early American history.
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