New York’s Slavery Memorial Now Exhibited in Paris

# Africa Rising: A Monument Struggles for Visibility

The public can now admire “Africa Rising,” New York City’s sole slavery memorial by a Black woman, but only if they’re in Paris. The 17-foot bronze sculpture by Barbara Chase-Riboud, commissioned in 1996, marks Manhattan’s African Burial Ground where up to 20,000 enslaved people lay forgotten until the early 1990s.

Narrating Black history’s significance through a woman balancing on a ship’s prow, this work embodies past anguish and future hope. The figure faces backward in agony, forward in stoic resolve, surrounded by medallions of the African diaspora’s notable figures.

Originally installed in Foley Square’s Federal Building in 1998, tightened post-9/11 security limited public access, relegating “Africa Rising” to brief glimpses through windows. Despite New York’s profound historical ties to slavery, from the slave trade to the Cotton Exchange, public monuments rarely acknowledge this past.

In Paris, however, “Africa Rising II,” a replica, stands proudly in the Tuileries Garden, embodying Chase-Riboud’s battle against obscurity. She emphasizes that bronze doesn’t burn—it’s a lasting testament to resilience over erasure, yet its current inaccessibility reflects ongoing historical silence.

Reinvigorating this dialogue by displaying “Africa Rising” prominently in New York could catalyze necessary discourse on racial inequality roots. Recognizing the contributions of enslaved people is vital for a future shaped by awareness and justice.