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Gadsden's Wharf is a
wharf
A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more Berth (mo ...
located in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
. It was the first destination for an estimated 100,000 enslaved Africans during the peak of the international slave trade. Some researchers have estimated that 40% of the enslaved Africans in the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
landed at Gadsden's Wharf. At one point, the wharf was the largest in America. The wharf is now home to the South Carolina Aquarium, the Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a historical Coastal defense and fortification#Sea forts, sea fort located near Charleston, South Carolina. Constructed on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in 1829, the fort was built in response to the W ...
Visitor Education Center, and the International African American Museum which opened in 2023.
Construction of the wharf and importation of enslaved people
Christopher Gadsden
Christopher Gadsden (February 16, 1724 – August 28, 1805) was an American politician who was the principal leader of the South Carolina Patriot movement during the American Revolution. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress, a brigadie ...
began constructing the Wharf in the late 1760s. In the years following, Gadsden expanded it, repaired it, and updated it until the break out of the American Revolution. In March of 1787, the South Carolina General Assembly prohibited slave importation for three years. In 1800, the Assembly extended the ban until 1803. Between 1803 and 1805, approximately 80 ships brought in over 14,000 people. In 1806, the first newspaper ads featuring enslaved Africans for sale at Gadsden’s Wharf appeared. Later the same year, on February 17, 1806, the city of Charleston passed an ordinance that all vessels carrying enslaved peoples had to land at Gadsden’s Wharf.
On January 1, 1808, a congressional ban on slave imports took effect and Gadsden’s Wharf was put to other uses, though enslavers continued to trade in human beings until the 1860s.
Site of the International African American Museum
Long time mayor of Charleston, Joe Riley, first mentioned plans for a museum dedicated to the history of African Americans in Charleston. Nearly 20 years later, an October groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated after reaching their $100 million campaign goal. Early advocates for the museum also include CongressmenJim Clyburn
James Enos Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for . First elected in 1992, Clyburn is in his 17th term, representing a congressional district that includes most of the majority-black precinc ...
, and now retired College of Charleston
The College of Charleston (CofC or Charleston) is a public university in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, it is the oldest university in South Carolina, the 13th-oldest institution of higher lea ...
professor of history. Retired College of Charleston professor Bernard Powers was named the interim CEO of the International African American Museum.
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