Slavery exhibit to change at African American museum
WASHINGTON, March 13: A significant artifact displayed in the “Slavery and Freedom” exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington will be removed later this month after its loan agreement expires. The 15-kilogram timber fragment from the slave ship São José-Paquete de África has been on display since the museum opened in 2016.
The artifact was loaned by the Iziko Museums of South Africa under a five-year agreement that was later extended in 2021. The arrangement ends on July 1, and the timber will soon be prepared for transport back to South Africa. Because of its delicate condition, a special crate will be built to safely ship the centuries-old relic. Visitors will be able to see the timber on display until March 22.
History of the Slave Ship
The São José was a Portuguese vessel transporting more than 400 enslaved Africans from Mozambique to Brazil when it struck rocks and sank near Cape Town in December 1794. Around half of the captives aboard the ship died, while survivors were sold into slavery in the Western Cape region.
The wreck was discovered in 2015 through the Slave Wrecks Project, an international initiative studying shipwrecks linked to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The vessel is among the earliest recovered shipwrecks directly connected to enslaved Africans who died during the Middle Passage.
Changes to the Exhibit
While the timber will be returned, other items from the wreck, including ballast stones used to stabilise the ship’s human cargo, will remain on display temporarily and will be returned to South Africa in two years. The museum plans to replace the timber with a cargo manifest that documents the people transported aboard the ship.
Timing and Visitor Reactions
The exhibit change comes as displays at several Smithsonian institutions are under review following an executive order signed by Donald Trump in 2025. However, museum officials stressed that the removal of the timber is solely due to the loan agreement and conservation requirements.
Visitors often describe the exhibit’s artifacts and dark gallery setting as powerful and emotional, helping people better understand the harsh realities of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Museum staff say the exhibit will continue to convey the same historical impact even after the timber is returned. (AP)
