National

15 Years On, Museum Where Slaves Landed Taking Form

Published

11 years ago

March 2, 2015

Photo of the present-day Cooper River bridge. Gadsden’s Wharf, a major point-of-entry for the slave trade, was on the Cooper River waterfront in Charleston, SC. (Laura Bruzek/Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0)

Bruce Smith, ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A tranquil spot on the Cooper River in Charleston is a place of memory, much like New York’s Ellis Island or Angel Island in San Francisco.

But those islands were beacons for millions who sought a better life in America. Gadsden’s Wharf which once stood on Charleston’s waterfront was where tens of thousands of African slaves brought against their wills first stepped foot in the United States.

For almost 15 years work has been underway on creating a museum to tell the story of those who arrived in chains – where they came from and what they did to help build America. Now the $75 million International African American Museum to be built on the site is more than a vision.

Last week, organizers had their first public meeting to discuss ideas for exhibits and displays. Later this month the first architectural renderings will be reviewed by city officials and, if all goes to plan, construction could begin next year with the museum opening in 2018.

In a nation where numerous museums tell the story of the black experience – indeed the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture opens in Washington next year – Charleston’s promises to be different.

“The extraordinary thing we have in Charleston is the authenticity of place – a place whose power has never been recognized,” says noted museum exhibit designer Ralph Appelbaum, whose work includes the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

“One would never know walking on this site that one might have once been hearing the cries or the laughter of people who lived on this site and were being held for sale,” he said.

The wharf was built by Revolutionary War leader Christopher Gadsden, also known for designing the yellow rattlesnake flag of the period with the legend “Don’t Tread on Me.” When the British left Charleston in 1783 after the end of the war, they embarked from Gadsden’s wharf.

One side of the planned 42,000-square-foot museum will have large windows looking out on the water which humans crossed from Africa in the holds of slave ships. That will be mirrored on the other side of the building with windows looking on Charleston, the first city slaves passed through as they began lives of servitude in the United States.

The museum plans, among other things, a family history center where, using touchscreen technology, visitors can do genealogical research and add their own stories to the database.

Exhibits will trace the journey of Africans from Africa to colonial South Carolina, through the Revolution and antebellum period to freedom after the Civil War. Other exhibits will tell the story of blacks during the Jim Crow era of segregation and the civil rights movement to the present day.

“What this is being driven by is the opportunity to create place of memory and remembrance on the actual site of the first footfall of 40 percent of enslaved Africans in America,” Appelbaum said.

Wilburn Johnson, the chairman of the museum board, says the story the museum will tell will not only resonate in the region “but also across this country and across the world.”

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Activism

Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
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1 week ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

The post Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.