With Barbados severing its ties with Britain and establishing itself as an independent republic, the country has also embarked on a program to study and commemorate its troubled history with slavery.
Commissioning famed architect, David Adjaye, the government is creating a museum, memorial, and research center dedicated to examining the impact of slavery and honoring the many slaves who are buried at the site.
Set to be built on Newton Plantation, next to the Newton Enslaved Burial Ground, the Newton Enslaved Burial Ground Memorial is designed to commemorate an estimated 570 West African slaves who are buried on the site. The memorial structure will have 570 vertical timber columns topped with circular brass plates arranged in rows on top of a mound made from rammed earth.
A research centre dedicated to covering the history and legacy of slavery is also planned to be built on the site, although details of this have yet to be revealed.
The project was announced shortly after Barbados became the word’s latest republic, after removing the British monarchy as its head of state last week.
Construction of the memorial is due to begin on 30 November, 2022, which will be exactly one year since Barbados became a republic.
