Inside the Slave Ship
Transatlantic Slave Trade
This mural depicts a scene of the inside of a slave ship. Painted upon a brick wall on the Underground Railroad Museum's basement level, it allows visitors to experience what life would have looked like in the belly of the ship among the enslaved persons.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Mural
Painting
Eating Utensils
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Eating utensils such as the hollowed gourd and oysters that were eaten are a could of examples of the conditions among the slave vessels. Provisions were scarce, and the enslaved people ate very little during their long journey.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Gourd, plank, oyster shells
Transport Collar
Transatlantic Slave Trade
This transport collar is inscribed, "Montague & Dawson- Dealers of Fine- Horses & African Negroes- Montgomery, Alabama 1854". Slaves were treated and accounted for like livestock.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Transport Collar
Leather, iron, metal
Slave Ship
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Model slave vessel. Most enslaved people came from the western African coast or nicknamed the Slave Coast, which consisted of Tongo, Nigeria, and Benin.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Slave ship
Wood
Slave Ship
Transatlantic Slave Trade
This is a model of a slave ship that would have been used during the Transatlantic slave trade. Before its arrival to America, the slaves would be 'seasoned,' where they would be gorged with the remaining food rations, and their skin would be oiled for the auction block.
Director Kristina Estle
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Slave ship
Wood
African Slaver 2
Captain of a slave vessel
This small sculpture depicts the captain of a slave vessel. These men were paid a percentage for each slave they had aboard. Despite lawmakers placing a 300 slave limit per voyage, some slave vessels crammed 600+ slaves.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Statue
Wood
African Slaver
Captain of a slave vessel
This small sculpture depicts the captain of a slave vessel. These men were paid a percentage for each slave they had aboard. Despite lawmakers placing a 300 slave per voyage limit, some slave vessels crammed 600+ slaves.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Statue
Wood
Slave Vessel 1
Transatlantic Slave Trade
This a model of a slave vessel that would have been used during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The triangular trade route involving America, European countries, and Africa took 3-6 months, and 10-12 million slaves were captured and transported.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Model ship
Wood