Slave Barracoons: A reminder of Savanna's unforgivable history

Down in the river district of Savannah, across the way from some fairly modern apartment buildings are these large, arched-ceiling rooms. what are they? What's going on here, Savannah? How is this fascinating and obviously very old structure just sitting here unexplained? No signs other than the "Private Parking" metal notices on the inside of each one.

We went back to the Kehoe and I did a little research on them. Come to find out they were storage bins or 'Barracoon's  for slaves who had just been unloaded from ships. People were shoved in these spaces like cattle before being auctioned and sold off.

We went back tonight to get a closer look and you can see the old hinges where there used to be doors. In the back on each one is a drainage hole from the street above. So this place where they "stored" human beings also served as storm drains for the city above.

Up until recently these spaces were used as private parking with no historic plaques, no recognition, no confession as to what their original purpose was.

4 foot high posts have been installed at the entrances so cars no longer live in them. The private parking signs remain fixed to the walls though. I'm hoping the new posts indicate some future plans from the city to own up to these important structures.

 A man and his family walked by taking happy smiling photos in them and I heard him say "Look girls, they used to keep the horses and carriages in here!"

Unacceptable.