“Lest We Forget” – Museum of Slavery, founded in 2002 is home to
the private Ragsdale collection of slavery artifacts, Bill of Sale
documents, and Jim Crow memorabilia owned by J. Justin & Gwen
Ragsdale. The exhibit includes authentic slave shackles, chains,
whips, branding irons, and other items that were used for human
bondage and punishment. It also includes numerous objects from the
Jim Crow era tha
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t negatively depict Blacks. This compelling collection truly brings
history alive and provides a better understanding of the pain and
suffering endured by kidnapped Africans brought to America and
other parts of the world and held in bondage for hundreds of years.
The LWF extensive collection of slavery artifacts and other items
was acquired over the past 45 years by J. Justin Ragsdale. LWF
Museum is the only museum in Philadelphia, PA with authentic
slavery artifacts that include: shackles, branding irons, and other
forms of punishing ironware from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Their collection also includes numerous genuine documents that
promoted the buying and selling of enslaved Africans. These rare
collectibles bring history to life. Together we provide moving
presentations and use items in the collection to demonstrate what
it was truly like to “Be a Slave”. Mr. Ragsdale’s vast experience
has made him a renowned expert in authenticating slavery artifacts,
documents, and the like. Both collectors and sellers constantly
call upon him for his knowledge. During presentations, he uses
several of his extraordinary collectibles to demonstrate and
explain what it was truly like to “Be a Slave”. Gwen uses her
skills to deliver compelling presentations that she interweaves
with historical accounts and actual slave narratives. She
coordinates the museum tours, and traveling exhibits, and
researches and writes the contextual descriptive panels displayed
throughout the collection. Together, the Ragsdale’s shed light on a
dark and tragic period in American history and pay tribute to the
generations of slave ancestors who greatly contributed to the
building of America. Lest We Forget Slavery Museum and LWF
Traveling Exhibit(s) perfectly document how different coming to
America was for enslaved Africans. The Lest We Forget Museum of
Slavery provides a unique historical perspective into the reality
of slavery for Africans brought to America. It is the only museum
of its kind in Philadelphia that exhibits authentic slavery
artifacts. LWFSM tears the scab of mystery and shame off the
subject of SLAVERY and shines a light on the enduring spirit of our
African American ancestors and the contributions they have made in
the building of America. We also continue to offer our well-known
Traveling Slavery Exhibit which we present at schools,
universities, conferences, places of worship, and local events. We
are presently accepting requests for the 2018 Black History
programs. Contact us for more information. The Lest We Forget
Museum of Slavery provides a unique historical perspective into the
reality of slavery for Africans brought to America. It is the only
museum of its kind in Philadelphia that exhibits authentic slavery
artifacts which include hundreds of shackles, chains, coffles,
branding irons, and other forms of punishing ironware. Authentic
documents show how enslaved Africans were bought and sold as
chattel. Numerous “Jim Crow” objects that negatively depicted and
ridiculed African Americans, creating a lasting racist attitude,
are also on display. Incredible African works of art – sculpture,
oil paintings, and vintage photographs line the walls of the
museum. Descriptive contextual panels are posted throughout to
assist visitors in understanding the significance of this period in
American history. We are accepting tours at our new 5501 Germantown
Avenue location.
