The Old Slave Mart Museum
6 Chalmers Street
Charleston, South Carolina, 29401
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Constructed in 1859, the building is believed to be the last extant slave auction facility in South Carolina. Today, the building houses the Old Slave Mart Museum.
The Old Slave Mart was originally part of a slave market known as Ryan's Mart, which covered a large enclosed lot between Chalmers and Queen streets. The market was established in 1856 by Charleston City Councilman Thomas Ryan, after a citywide ban on public slave auctions made private facilities necessary. Slave auctions were held at the site until approximately 1863; in 1865, the Union Army occupied Charleston and closed Ryan's Mart.
The Old Slave Mart Museum has operated on and off since 1938.
The Old Slave Mart Museum Categories
