America's first lynching memorial is about to open in the 'Cradle of the Confederacy' — here's what it looks like

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For over 150 years, the city of Montgomery, Alabama has been known as the "Cradle of the Confederacy." In 1861, the city played a central role in the formation of the Confederate States of America, made up of 11 US states that sought to secede and maintain slavery.

But now, in 2018, Montgomery wants to reflect on the horrifying history of American slavery and racism. On April 26, the city will open the nation's first memorial and museum devoted to the history of lynchings in the US.

The project, spearheaded by a local nonprofit called the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), will pay tribute to lynching victims as well as chronicle the dark parts of the African-American experience — from slavery to today's national epidemic of mass incarceration.

Take a look at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Legacy Museum below.

The national memorial and museum will explore the history of lynchings, slavery, and racism in the US since the country's founding.

The six-acre site overlooks Montgomery.

The museum and memorial seek to create a dialogue around America's long history of racial injustice, EJI's founder, Bryan Stevenson, told Business Insider.

In the early 1860s, the US was at a turning point in its history. Following the election of Abraham Lincoln — a staunch opponent to slavery — 11 states led by the Confederacy announced they would secede.

Serving as the Confederate capital, Montgomery invited delegates from the Deep-South states to draft a constitution for a new nation in 1861. The Confederacy lost this fight, but Montgomery gained a nickname: the "Cradle of the Confederacy."

See the rest of the story at Business Insider