» London/Liverpool/London: Final Reflections & Acknowledgments
This is the tenth and final blog post in a series written by Georgette Mayo, Avery Research Center’s Processing Archivist, reflecting on her trip to London and Liverpool in October 2024.
During this five-day tour, I realized we experienced a small yet important part of Liverpool. The International Slavery Museum’s (ISM) significance as “the first museum in the world dedicated to the slave trade” and its expansion into its own building were the focus of this delegation tour. As you read my previous entries, this museum led to many layers of Liverpool’s history being uncovered, interpreted, and discussed.
Our delegation partook in behind-the-scenes views of Liverpool’s museums and libraries. Discussions with museum directors, curators, and historians added to our understanding of why Liverpool played a major role in the transatlantic slave trade and maritime system.
The tour of London and Liverpool motivated me to conduct research to further comprehend many topics discussed. I left the United Kingdom with many takeaways, several of which I review in this essay.
As previously noted, before visiting the ISM, I thought the museum had its own structure. It was a surprise to learn it was housed in the Mersey Maritime Museum on the third floor. The tour was significant because we were visiting the museum before it closed to the public for its three-year expansion project.
Liverpool’s historical awareness regarding its significant participation in the slave trade did not come without numerous challenges and setbacks. For over three decades, the National Museums Liverpool (NML), among others, exercised persistence, determination, and willingness to listen to build trust with the city’s Black population, all to urge the city to establish the ISM.
These factors were and continue to be vital in depicting a painful history with numerous layers throughout the NML. Miles Greenwood, ISM curator, stated, “British memory/dis-remembering is out of sight and out of mind. While in America, we are constantly reminded of the remnants of enslavement.”
Another notable takeaway is the treatment of the historic statues in Liverpool’s Town Hall. Liverpool abstains from destroying their statues. Instead, Town Hall’s marble sculptures of these notable men remain as a remembrance and acknowledgment of their significance and misdeeds in the international slave trade.
Because I participated in this delegation tour, I am proud to be part of the inaugural Sarah Parker Remond Citizen Diplomat Program, an initiative established by the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. Remond (1826-1894) was an African American woman born free in Salem, Massachusetts. During her life, Remond was a lecturer, abolitionist, and physician in Italy for more than 20 years.1 The Sarah Parker Remond Citizen Diplomat Program “is dedicated to unearthing and celebrating the invaluable contributions of Africans and African Americans in the building of the great port cities during the British American colonial period-cities that became the foundations of unprecedented wealth and prosperity.”2
The knowledge I have acquired during this tour has enriched my expertise as an archivist. I will be able to assist researchers interested in Britain and, particularly, Liverpool’s involvement with the transatlantic slave trade. Looking towards the future, a collaboration with the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center and the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at the College of Charleston to host the National Museums Liverpool and the Athenaeum in our port city would be a worthwhile endeavor. Like Liverpool, our city is steeped in enslavement history, as detailed in our numerous cultural institutions, landscapes, and landmarks.
In parting gratitude, I mention the following individuals who made this experience a memorable reality.
Dr. Tamara Butler, Executive Director of the Avery Research Center.
Sincere thanks for offering this opportunity and encouraging me to participate.
Dr. Kim Cliett Long, Project Administrator of the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center.
Thank you for organizing and expanding our understanding of the importance of Liverpool’s maritime involvement during the international slave trade. Your extensive knowledge and experience of maritime history informed and amazed me. Also, thank you for providing excellent first-class lodging, travel, and dining experiences throughout our travels.
Michelle Charters, Head of ISM, Laura Pye, Director of NML, and the NML senior staff: Sincere gratitude for co-organizing, informing us of your institution’s history, exploring the various museums, and your vision for expanding the International Slavery Museum.
The Liverpool Athenaeum Proprietors for providing a history of the institution and the city and fellowship during a wonderful culinary experience.
The delegation members: I met many of you for the first time, and each person taught me something new, making this a unique and enjoyable experience.
The Addlestone Library, College of Charleston administration for expediting travel logistics.
Avery Team Members Savannah Frierson and Aaisha Haykal for the editing and production work. I am grateful for your help in bringing my blog entries to fruition.
Footnotes
- Archives of Women’s Political Communication. “Sarah Parker Remond.” Iowa State University. https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/directory/sarah-parker-remond/ Accessed 3 February 2025. ↩︎
- Long, Kim Cliett. “Announcing the Sarah Parker Remond Citizen Diplomat Program of the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center at the University of South Carolina Beaufort.” October 2024, Flyer. ↩︎