The presence and contributions of Africans and their descendants in the United States have been deliberately downplayed and omitted over centuries. Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project is committed to challenging and altering that practice. When Project 1619 and related truth-telling information surfaced as a means to address the historical national legacy of slavery and racism, there was and continues to be political backlash under the erroneous labelling of critical race theory. Some politicians and many ultra-conservatives state that the acknowledgement of a complete history of Africans and their descendants results in white guilt and shame. We disagree. The goal is healing.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Hollywood functions as a primary promoter, seller, and recorder of American culture [see link below]. People of African descent are easily acknowledged to be creators and contributors to music, dance, cuisine, and sports. However, the truth is that in order for this nation to reconcile and heal we must expand beyond these standard attributions and accept the fact that much of what we call American has African roots.