Middle Passage Marker Project
Organization
Lewes Historical Society · Wilmington · DECategory
ExhibitionsDeadline
Monday, March 2, 2026 · 17 days leftShow Address
504 N Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801110 Shipcarpenter St, Lewes, DE 19958
Description
The Delaware Historical Society’s Mitchell Center for African American Heritage and Lewes Historical Society, in partnership with the Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project, invite artists to submit proposals for the design and construction of two bronze port marker sculptures commemorating Delaware’s connections to the Middle Passage. This shared statewide project links two installations at significant historic sites in Delaware – Wilmington, DE, near the Port of Wilmington, and Lewes, DE, near the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. This project highlights the fragmentation and erasure of Black histories caused by enslavement. Additionally, how historical silences, negative space, and partial records coexist with the themes of survival and continuity.
The Delaware Historical Society’s Mitchell Center for African American Heritage and Culture and Lewes Historical Society are working with the Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project to elevate the legacy and histories of the Lewis family and persons of African descent who arrived on the Brigadier Nancy owned by the Willing and Morris Company. The objective of this Request for Proposal is to locate a partnering artist who will provide the best value and support to both organizations. While price is an important factor taken into consideration, other criteria will also inform our award decision.