About the Author
Amelie Pelletier is a Master’s student in History at McGill University, supervised by Dr. Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey. She holds an Honors Bachelor’s degree in History from Concordia University, where her thesis focused on Henrietta Duterte, a funeral directress and alleged Underground Railroad member, examining her role in deathwork and abolitionist resistance.
At McGill, Amelie continues to build upon this foundation, engaging with the histories of death in African-American communities and the ways in which these practices intersect with broader themes of race, gender, and resistance. Her work emphasizes the importance of considering death not as a passive end, but as an active site of historical meaning and political expression.
At McGill, Amelie continues to explore how death work, particularly that involving African-American women, serves as a site of community bonding and agency. Her work emphasizes the intersection of race, gender, and power in historical narratives, offering a unique lens through which to understand African-American history.
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This paper examines the transformation of places associated with slavery in Savannah, Georgia into central sites of tourism, particularly focusing on the rise of ghost tours. The Sorrel-Weed House, a mid-19th century mansion, epitomizes this phenomenon, where historical narratives intertwine with paranormal allure to attract visitors. Despite lacking historical basis, stories like that of Molly, allegedly a slave involved in a tragic affair, are crafted to captivate tourists. This paper explores how the Savannah tourism industry obscures the unsettling histories of these sites in favor of Southern opulence and spooky intrigue. It investigates the commodification of slave narratives as ghostly spectacles, contrasting them with movements for social justice and historical accuracy. By analyzing these dynamics, this study underscores the importance of authentic storytelling in heritage sites to foster meaningful memory work and contribute to ongoing social justice efforts. Additionally, the paper provides recommendations for more contextualized and improved educational experiences at these sites, advocating for the inclusion of comprehensive, accurate historical narratives that honor the true stories of those who suffered under slavery.
Recommended Citation
Pelletier, Amelie
(2025)
"Haunted Savannah: Dark Tourism and the Afterlives of Slavery,"
Madison Historical Review: Vol. 22, Article 6.
Available at:
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/mhr/vol22/iss1/6
