Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum In Memphis Shuts Down After Fire

A fire that mysteriously broke out at the Slave Haven Underground Railroad museum in Memphis has left the establishment temporarily closed.

The “Slave Haven” Underground Railroad Museum in Memphis is temporarily shutting down after a fire at the facility on Jan. 20 left smoke damage throughout the building.

According to Action 5 News the fire began at around 2 p.m. on that Saturday, but the Memphis Fire Department responded quickly and was able to stop the fire from damaging the historical place further.

Although only two rooms were actually impacted by the fire and no injuries were reported, the damage caused to the cultural landmark by smoke and subsequent water requires it to be closed to the public for the time being.

Slave Haven was transformed into a museum in 1997, complete with decorations from the 19th century to allow visitors to imagine the slave system, travel patterns of the Underground Railroad, and the messaging that allowed the journey to freedom to be possible. Those experiencing the landmark were able to dive deeper into the lives and journeys of those enslaved in Memphis, as well as Black history as a whole.

Memphis is already a storied city when it comes to the plight of Black Americans. The city is known for being where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. held his final speech,” I’ve Been To the Mountaintop,” at the Mason Temple on Apr. 3, 1968. The following day, King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in the city. The site has since been transformed into the National Civil Right Museum.

An investigation into the fire in one of Memphis’ Black historical remnants remains ongoing, with no further detail on when Slave Haven will reopen.