Night Experience Is Back at the National Memorial
Visitors can now experience the National Memorial for Peace and Justice after dark. The uniquely compelling nighttime experience is available at limited times. The next available date will be September 16 from 8:30 PM to 10 PM (last entry 9:30 PM).
Set on a six-acre site in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, the National Memorial is the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved Black people, people terrorized by lynching, African Americans humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence.
The memorial uses sculpture, art, and design to create a sober, meaningful site where people can gather and reflect on America’s history of racial inequality. It includes a memorial square with 800 six-foot monuments to symbolize thousands of racial terror lynching victims in the counties and states where this terrorism took place.
The memorial is lit to provide a stunning and sobering view of the monuments and sculptures. It is an exceptionally powerful space to experience at night.
"Ever since we opened, we knew there was something special about being in this space at night," said EJI Director Bryan Stevenson. "There's something about the stillness of the night, there's something about the quiet, that allows you to really engage with what happened during this terrible time in American history."
Complimentary finger flashlights will be provided to night visitors to help guide them through the memorial. Tickets are required for nighttime visitors.
“The sculptures really have a different power when you see them sort of in shadow,” Mr. Stevenson said. “We give people the finger lights because that just means you just to have kind of discover things. So when you come here, you can read the names. So that way you can kind of explore a little bit more. It’s a little bit more of a journey, a discovery, than in the daytime. And we think that’s an important part of how this should work.”
