To the editor:

We are writing to tell you about the Bristol Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project, asking the Town Council for authorization to place a sculpture/monument on the waterfront of Bristol on town-owned land. It would be adjacent to the State Street Dock. Many voyages left from our local port as part of the triangular slave trade, making this waterfront site a significant place for a memorial marker.

The purpose of the Project is to acknowledge Bristol's role in the history of the slave trade, while serving to honor the lives of the people who were enslaved. This project is not a condemnation of our town nor does it place blame on anyone or Bristol itself. The marker will be a positive and peaceful symbol, allowing for healing and personal meditation. It is a step toward reconciliation that notes the past, while marking a space where residents and visitors may observe a memorial and contemplate its meaning.

The Bristol Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project is part of the larger UNESCO Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project, which is dedicated to shining a light on the history of the triangular slave trade. This is an international effort with numerous unique markers having been placed since 2011, from the Caribbean and north along the gulf and eastern coast of the U.S. Our sister town of Warren has such a marker in place, and Newport has secured a site for its marker yet to be finalized.

One of our goals is to acknowledge the stories of Bristol's enslaved population and to honor their lives within a memorial public space. Another is to celebrate the lives and contributions of African and Native Indigenous people in Bristol and the nation. We strive to create a place that affirms traditional American values of liberty, justice, and equality for all people. Upon completion, the Bristol marker will be designated as part of UNESCO's Slave Route Project, along with the Newport Middle Passage and Port Markers Project.

We ask support from Bristol citizens and community leaders for this project to bring all parts of our community together through a present-day gesture of peace. The Bristol MPCPMP will fundraise the cost  of design, fabrication, installation and commits to creating a monument with minimal maintenance requirements. We intend to commission an artist who will make a cultural contribution to the town that we can all enjoy and take pride in.

Future generations of people will be able to appreciate our town’s acknowledgement of this history and the efforts toward liberty and justice.

Stephan Brigidi
93 Highland Rd.