tHE Legacy of 87 adams

The Legacy of 87 Adams illuminates the long-hidden story of enslaved people who were trafficked in the shadows of Memphis’s historic churches. In the heart of Downtown, our coalition of faith leaders, racial justice advocates, scholars, and church members is creating a public memorial and archive on the site once known as 87 Adams, now a church and courthouse parking lot where enslaver Nathan Bedford Forrest traded thousands of lives.

For the past three years, I’ve supported our coalition with design research, the development of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to identify designers, and contributions to community conversations and genealogical research. Our project was funded by Monument Lab as one of ten community-based art and memory initiatives nationwide.