A Trip to the Old Slave Mart in Charleston
Located on 6 Chalmers Street, one of the last cobblestone streets in Charleston, South Carolina, is a building that recalls a dark part of American history. The Old Slave Mart is the only remaining building in the United States where people bought and sold slaves, and it was once part of a much larger complex.
In 1878, people renovated the building and turned into a tenement dwelling. It again changed hands in 1938, when Miriam B. Wilson bought the building and turned it into a museum of the history of African Americans, as well as arts, crafts, and much more. The Old Slave Mart was the first such museum of its kind.
The permanent exhibitions are divided into two main sections.
In the Orientation Area, guests to the museum will be given an introduction to the slave trade. They will learn the history of slavery and slave trading in the United States, as well as how the first slaves crossed the Atlantic. It is a sad, interesting, and eye opening experience.
Also in the orientation area, visitors will learn the details of how slave trading actually worked as well as the ramifications it had on society, economics, and the politics of the day.
In the Exhibit Area, visitors can see the process of the slave trade as documented by slave traders, buyers, and the African Americans who were bought and sold. You get to see what a "typical" day would have been like at the slave auction.
Guests can also see personal letters, documents, artifacts, as well as audio and video presentations that help to give a sense of reality to what happened there so long ago. By learning about the real people who were involved in these activities (on every level, from trader to slave), the visitors can get a better idea of how life was.
You can also visit the upstairs gallery at the Old Slave Mart, which features more artifacts as well as part of a special exhibit called Lest We Forget: The Triumph over Slavery. You can also find some local craftwork and arts in the upstairs gallery.
The Old Slave Mart Museum is an important part of American history, and it is somewhere that everyone who travels to Charleston should take some time and see. The museum is open Monday through Saturday, from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission for adults is $7, seniors $5, and children under 16 are $5.
6 Chalmers ST
Charleston,SC 29401