Letter: Why no interstate signs for EJI memorial and museum?

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Equal Justice Initiative National Memorial and Legacy Museum in Montgomery with my family. The museum exhibits were state of the art with holograms, video, historical signs, photos and interactive exhibits.

I was particularly struck by the exhibit on the transatlantic slave trade, which was incredibly informative and moving.

The museum's goals to raise awareness of the history of slavery of the area, to end mass incarceration, and to honor the victims of lynching are excellent and appropriate.

I was disappointed and frankly, shocked, that Interstate 85W leading into Montgomery promoted the "first White House of the Confederacy" for visitors, while EJI's museums had nothing. Not a single sign.

The historical marker for a "White House" — not even the main one which was in Richmond, Virginia, but rather the "first" one in Montgomery — should not be honored with a sign at all. But it's even worse that it is while a museum dedicated to the slavery and civil rights history of Montgomery has no sign.

This is just wrong.

The Equal Justice Initiative National Memorial and Legacy Museum is a powerful and important place that should be promoted to visitors to Montgomery.

I urge the people of Montgomery to take action to remove the historical marker for the "first White House" and to promote the museum so that more people can learn about the history of slavery and civil rights in the area.

Patty Durand is president of Cool Planet Solutions

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Letter: Why no interstate signs for EJI memorial and museum?