The Gullah Journey: West Africa to Mexico

Selected for their expertise in rice cultivation, West Africans were enslaved and brought to plantations in Georgia and the Carolinas where they were prized for their agricultural skills. In the face of oppression, they forged a new language—Gullah—rooted in multiple West African dialects and blended with English. This allowed them to communicate among themselves without their enslavers understanding.

Seeking freedom, many migrated to slave-free Florida where they joined forces with Seminole Native Americans. Over generations these communities intermarried, giving rise to the Black Seminoles. In time they too were forcibly removed along with other Native Americans to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). Eventually some found refuge and settlement in Nacimiento de los Negros in Mexico. Today their direct descendants maintain a vibrant cultural identity.

Through ceremonial hymns and spirituals—passed down orally and never written—their traditions endure. These songs can be traced to a single village in Sierra Leone, a powerful testament to cultural preservation and ancestral memory.

This exhibition brings the Atlantic Slave Trade into vivid perspective through a wide range of art forms. Commissioned works by both local and international artists portray the magnitude of the forced migration of 12 million Africans to the Americas—art that fosters empathy and deeper understanding of this global tragedy. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to witness the journey of a people who despite unimaginable hardship preserved their dignity, traditions and faith. Experience how music and art continue to connect the past to the present and inspire generations to come.

FREE EXHIBIT!

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