Outdoor historical site featuring interpretive exhibits on the domestic slave trade at one of the largest slave markets in the Deep South.
General Information
Self-guided access only
How to Get There
Take US-61 North from downtown Natchez, turn right onto Liberty Road, and continue to the intersection with D’Evereux Drive.
Overview
The Forks of the Road site in Natchez, Mississippi, marks the location of what was once the second-largest domestic slave market in the Deep South. From 1833 until the Civil War, tens of thousands of enslaved African Americans were brought here from the Upper South in chains and coffles to be sold into forced labor. Today, the site is part of the Natchez National Historical Park and features interpretive panels and artistic installations that tell the harrowing story of the domestic slave trade and its impact on American history. The exhibits are accessible and designed to be viewed from the sidewalk or even from a vehicle, making the site both informative and contemplative.
Visitors to Forks of the Road can reflect on the lives of those who passed through this market and the broader legacy of slavery in the United States. The site includes a powerful concrete sculpture representing shackles and chains, symbolizing the suffering endured by those sold here. Managed by the National Park Service, the site is open year-round and free to the public. It serves as a solemn reminder of the past and a place for education, remembrance, and reflection.
This article uses material from the National Park Service and official tourism pages for the Forks of the Road, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
