Ceremony Marks Ancestral Remembrance Day On The Delaware River Waterfront
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- It's Ancestral Remembrance day, and for the third year in a row, community members will gather along the Delware River to pay homage to the slaves that came through the Port of Philadelphia.
The Port of Philadelphia is one of the 175 middle passage ports identified as part of the TransAtlantic Slave trade.
"More than 2 million Africans perished in the middle passage journey," says Denise Valentine, a professional storyteller and historian.
She leads the Philadelphia Middle Passage Ceremony and Port Marker Project and is hoping to raise awareness and money to get a historical marker in Philadelphia. So tonight, they'll join dozens of other cities by hosting a ceremony.
"With drumming and prayers," she says. "There is a babalou who will do libations to the ancestors."
The ceremony kicks off outside of Independence Seaport Museum around 5:30, with the hopes the people will remember.
