WASHINGTON, DC.- The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture unveiled “In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World”—its first international touring exhibition—Dec. 13. Through powerful forms of artistic expressions, such as quilting, music and ironwork, the exhibition reveals healing traditions rooted in the resilience of enslaved people.
Featuring more than 190 artifacts, 250 images, interactive stations and newly commissioned artworks, “In Slavery’s Wake” offers a transformative space to honor these legacies of strength and creativity. More information is available at nmaahc.si.edu/InSlaverysWake. The exhibition is open through June 8, 2025, in the museum’s Bank of America Special Exhibitions Gallery.
“This global exhibition is a profound journey through the African diaspora, reflecting on our shared history and envisioning a future shaped by resilience and freedom,” said Kevin Young, NMAAHC’s Andrew W. Mellon Director. “It beautifully intertwines the past and present, inviting visitors to experience our heritage’s multilingual, multinational and forward-looking spirit. This show reflects not just the impact of slavery but a celebration of the freedom-making efforts of the enslaved and abolitionists, embodying the humane and interconnected world we live in today.”
“In Slavery’s Wake” reckons with the impact of slavery and colonialism on present-day societies around the world, and it explores the often-overlooked efforts of the enslaved to force the end of slavery with legal emancipation and abolition as well as provides a wellspring for descendants to draw upon to help create a better world for themselves and their communities through art, storytelling, music, protest and communal healing.
The exhibition delves into key questions about freedom and its expressions across six sections. Organized by the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Center for the Study of Global Slavery and the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University, “In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World” grew out of a decade-long collaboration between international curators, scholars and community members who were committed to sharing stories of slavery and colonialism in public spaces. The collective worked across geographies, cultures and languages, connecting the past and the present.
This exhibition will travel to museums in Belgium, Brazil, England, Senegal, South Africa and the United States. Curatorial partners from each location contributed stories, objects and oral histories that reflect their local communities within this global history. It also incorporates a new collection of more than 150 oral histories filmed at each partner site, titled “Unfinished Conversations.” Voices from this international archive of everyday people’s memories and stories are featured throughout.
“In Slavery’s Wake” is complemented by a 225-page catalog that features 120 color illustrations and essays by renowned historians and cultural workers. It is published by Smithsonian Books in collaboration with NMAAHC. Kirkus Reviews noted, “The National Museum of African American History & Culture and Smithsonian Books have produced what should be considered the definitive text in understanding both Black and Brown people’s cultural contributions to world history and how the systemic implementation of slavery throughout the globe was and still is one of the key reasons for a significant amount of artifact conception and creation. […] A must-read about the power of artistry over overt oppression.”
