Historic Slave Trade Port Marker to be unveiled in Port Arthur Saturday.

[Music] all right three groups coming together for a very important cause the African-American cultural Society partnering with the Middle Passage Ceremonies and the port marker project in order to honor the enslaved ancestors of the city of Port Arthur so the solemn event serves as a reminder of the pain the trauma experienced by enslaved ancestors and it's a tribute to their strength and their perseverance Sandra castill Gail pelum very critical in this project they are going to be unveiling a port marker tomorrow you ladies have worked painstakingly to get this to come to fruition tell me a little bit about it yes let me start with this Tracy um what's really important is Gail pelum is the founder and president of the African-American culture society and we are heading that up and with the organization the port marker and middle passage in Houston and they'll here and it's just going to be a wonderful ceremony so tell me about the marker you were instrumental in in getting it to to U well yeah started working on this I think in 2021 to bring this marker to Port author is to recognize remember celebrate those Africans that did arrive through S pass in Port Arthur and that's where many of them came so that's where you're going to place this marker yes it's going to be unveiled tomorrow tell us a little bit about it well our marker is so special it's is double-sided front and back is in full color uh really I don't want to tell you too much about that cuz I want you because you want to come see it but it cost $10,000 and that's why there are very few of these you were saying it's only the second one across the state this is the second one galison got theirs in 2017 and and we're the first organization where the organization literally paid the first $5,000 for us to get this marker what are you hoping people will take from this when they see this marker why put a marker here hopefully you can remember uh one of the emblems on the marker is the San Kofa bird and and that's to go back and fetch it to know your history know what happened so it's important to pass this information on to the children because so many people in this area don't know any of the history so we do want to bring some exactly some work or some uh and tell me why you you think it's critical for us to remember this history it's important because this is American history this is Texas history this is our history and I think this is going to be an opportunity for us to learn grow with each other and heal love it and you want to bring one of these to bont I'm guessing in the future you're were saying that's a thought that organization out of Florida they are spearheading that and yes there are plans to um continue to research and make that happen I saw you both smiling when you saw the forecast for Saturday because that's when it's gonna happen it's GNA be a beautiful day for a wonderful celebration so where do people show up so they can participate and take pictures and see all your hard work uh we at the papy's home uh park with just it's it's um city of P Arthur sure um the city of Port Offa City Hall and it's going to be hes um Park yeah tomorrow at 2 o' it's a free event show up learn about our American history and see this beautiful and to see these wonderful South African dancers that will be really yes the Zulu dancers so there's going to be a little dance presentation anything else we'll see there oh you going there's going to be a ceremony with um full with his story we we're going to tell the history and there's going to be singing uh a lot of local persons are going to give their thanks and tribute so we're just excited of all about all this so wonderful great job ladies a lot of hard work you were proud of yourself and you should be we are all right have a good good Presentation tomorrow I hope a lot of people turn out