The African-American Monument, Savannah, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The African-American Monument is a bronze memorial on the Savannah riverfront, beside East River Street in the city's historic district. It honours the African ancestors of many Americans and remembers the people who were carried through this port in bondage. Standing on the waterfront where ships once unloaded their cargo, it gives a sober moment in the middle of a lively stretch of Savannah.

The story behind it

For centuries the river was the working edge of Savannah. Ships arrived here from the Caribbean, Europe and Africa, and many came carrying heavy stones as ballast to keep them steady at sea. Before loading cargo for the return voyage, crews unloaded that ballast, and the stones were later used to pave the paths and slopes between Bay Street and the river. That is why the ground here is a patchwork of granite, basalt, quartz and other kinds of rock.

The same waterfront was part of the route by which enslaved Africans were brought into the American South. The monument sits in that setting on purpose. It asks visitors to think about the people who arrived here, and the ones who built the city, rather than only the ships and the trade. Large cargo ships still pass along the river today, as Savannah remains a busy working port.

What to look for

• The bronze figures at the centre of the monument, which show a family together and give the memorial a human scale.
• The words inscribed on the base, which include lines by the poet Maya Angelou, worth reading slowly.
• The uneven cobblestones underfoot, each one a reminder of the ballast that ships once carried across the ocean.
• The river itself and the Talmadge Bridge beyond it, where container ships glide past the spot where so many voyages ended.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 20 minutes to look closely, read the inscription and take in the river view. It sits in an open public area, so there is no entry to arrange.
• Go early in the morning or later in the evening if you want a quieter moment, as River Street fills up with visitors in the middle of the day.
• Wear sturdy, flat shoes. The cobblestones and the slopes down to the waterfront are uneven.
• River Street's shops, cafes and the riverside promenade are right next door, so it fits easily into a longer walk of the historic district.

See it on a quest

The monument is one stop on Captured by Pirates in Savannah, a self-guided walk themed around the city's seafaring past. You reach the monument on foot as part of a longer route along the riverfront and nearby streets. The app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot, so you notice details you might otherwise walk past. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever suits you, with no guide and no set departure time.