Valongo Wharf and Gadsden’s Wharf: A Comparative Approach to Two Sites of Memory of Atlantic Slavery (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Charleston, South Carolina)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The article presents a comparative analysis between Valongo Wharf in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, South Carolina, as sites of memory of the Atlantic slave trade. It examines how these sites, both integrated into the UNESCO “Routes of Enslaved Peoples” project, confront the legacy of slavery and its contemporary implications. The study investigates the prevailing narratives in these spaces, the privileged and silenced memories, and the connection established between past atrocities and present racism. From a comparative historical perspective, the article discusses the social construction of these sites of memory, considering the influences of different social actors, such as Black movements, scholars, and public authorities. The analysis reveals how Valongo and Gadsden’s Wharves have become spaces of dispute for recognition and ambiguities over the memory of slavery and its legacies.
Source: Genealogy
Author: Sergio Gardenghi Suiama
Institution: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Language: English
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,689
OpenAlex ID: W4406805093