Traveling exhibit brings powerful history of slavery to Lansdale church

History will not whisper at Trinity Lutheran Church on March 15. It will arrive in cases and carefully wrapped bundles, in iron and paper, in objects that carry the weight of centuries.

The traveling exhibit from the Lest We Forget Museum of Slavery will be on display at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale, from noon to 2 p.m., with a 45-minute interactive presentation beginning at 12:15 p.m. 

The event is free and open to the community.

Founded in 2002, the Philadelphia-based museum was created to share a vast private collection assembled over a lifetime by J. Justin Ragsdale. Today, Gwen Ragsdale serves as director, helping guide the museum’s mission to present an unflinching historical perspective on the American experience of enslavement. 

The collection, according to its website, includes hundreds of authentic artifacts, such as shackles, chains, branding irons and other ironware once used to control and punish enslaved Africans. 

Original documents show how human beings were bought and sold as property, while “Jim Crow” objects reveal how racist imagery shaped attitudes long after slavery formally ended.

The exhibit also includes African sculpture, oil paintings and vintage photographs, accompanied by contextual panels designed to help visitors understand the significance of the period and its continuing impact. 

Museum leaders say the goal is not only remembrance but education, connection and dialogue. The traveling program is frequently presented at schools, universities, houses of worship and community events.

Organizers invite adults and young people alike to attend, reflect and engage. Those seeking more information about the March 15 event may contact [email protected] or call 215-272-0195.

Get involved: Support the Lest We Forget Museum of Slavery 

A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the museum relies on memberships, donations and community support to conserve its collection of authentic slavery artifacts, develop new exhibits and presentations, and expand educational programming.

Membership options

Members help sustain the institution while receiving benefits throughout the year:

• Free museum visits for members plus one youth
• Members-only emails with advance notice of events and programs
• Discounts in the LWFSM Shop, including seasonal double-discount opportunities
• The opportunity to support what the museum describes as the only area institution connecting slavery’s history to current events in an effort to “Stop The Violence” and remember the legacy of slavery

Membership levels:

• Individual: $50
• Senior: $45
• Student: $35

Additional ways to give

Supporters may also:

• Adopt an Artifact to help maintain and preserve a specific piece in the collection
• Contribute to the Galleries Fund to support gallery upkeep and maintenance
• Donate to the Exhibitions Fund to assist with the cost of maintaining regular exhibitions
• Make a tax-deductible gift in honor or memory of someone

According to its website, contributions help provide critical education about a period in history that continues to shape communities and perceptions today, while honoring the contributions of enslaved Africans and their descendants in building America.