In a town awash with everything Twain, we tell a much different story of Samuel Clemens and Hannibal.
Mark Twain wrote things as they were. His writings showed the unfiltered reality of life in rural Missouri. Jim, from "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," is one of Twain's most renowned characters. Twain gave us Jim to show the plight of African Americans in the pre-Civil War United States.
Additionally, Samuel Clemens was the first white American author to humanize an enslaved person, making him more than a fixture as he contributed to the fight against racism, bigotry and social justice.
Most know that Jim is a fictional character but you may not know that he was based on the very real Daniel Quarles, an enslaved person on his uncle's farm in Florida, Missouri. The emancipated Daniel lived and died here in Hannibal. This is a tribute to his legacy and an opportunity to learn what it was like for his descendants, and the people whose resilience made this story possible and made Hannibal a richer community. It's an intimate look at the local African American condition from Hannibal's 1819 founding.
We're open for tours through Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, but closed on the holiday Monday. During this time, we're open Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m or you can come see us on Sunday from 1pm to 5 p.m. Call at Faye Dant at (217) 617-1507 anytime for more information about our museum and to arrange a private tour.
Hannibal's African American community was able to rise to prominence despite great adversity. Along with teaching the community about Samuel Clemens, the humanitarian, Daniel Quarles, the prototype for Jim. we also celebrate the accomplishments of the local African American community and reflect on their achievements and the trials they had to overcome.
Jim's Journey highlights a cornerstone of American history, here you will be convinced that African American history is American history. Our museum is perfect for:
• Students who want to gain a greater understanding of African American heritage
• Tourists who want a reference point for Mark Twain's found inspiration
• Mark Twain enthusiasts will gain more insight into Mark Twain's works
You'll find that our museum is emotionally moving and eye-opening. Come in to reflect on our shared history.
"The exhibits on the mustard-colored walls are monuments to the triumph and the oppression of Hannibal's black community. Dant called on residents to lend their photos, clothing, books and papers to the project. As a result the faces of Hannibal residents fill the room. There are collages of candid photos-the faces of schoolgirls, newlyweds, soldiers, weathered old men-each one meaningful in its own way. Dant made an effort to showcase prominent members of the black community, which include Olympic athlete George Poage and Hiawatha Crow, the first black person elected to the Hannibal City Council."
"Opened in 2013, the center plays an important role in the Hannibal story, as it was Jim, Twain's written creation, whose character and life is in part based on a real slave from Hannibal named Daniel Quarles. In fact, Jim's story is significant in that, according to representatives of the center, "It is the first African-American character portrayed by a white person as a full-fledged human being, no longer a caricature, but a human, a husband and a father."
The story of Jim and his family is also the story of how from the 19th to the 21st centuries, both African-American slaves and free people lived in Hannibal and the surrounding area. It's also an example of Twain's deep connection with all peoples, lifestyles and socioeconomic conditions of the day, which have garnered his writings so much international appeal.
The center, situated in an old stone house thought to have been built by slaves, is chock full of photos, memorabilia, clothing, historical documents and other items relative to Hannibal's African-American community over the past several generations."
"Behind the legend of Mark Twain stands an entire community. Hannibal natives know that much. But within the community of Hannibal lies an oft-forgotten subculture, that of the African-American population of America's Hometown.
A prodigal daughter of Hannibal, Faye Dant, seeks to shine a spotlight on that history through the Hannibal Project."
"Be sure to add the Huck Finn Freedom Center; Jim's Journey to your agenda on your next visit to Hannibal. This town has done much to preserve the history of an era and favorite son Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. Now we have an opportunity to learn more about Samuel Clemens, the humanitarian."
"A treasure trove of little known facts about the lives of Hannibal's African American community."
"Hannibal has long been home to everything Twain, real and fictional - Mark Twain's Boyhood Home and Museum, the Tom and Huck Statue, the Becky Thatcher House, the Huck Finn Home, the Mark Twain Cave and the Injun Joe Campground - but there's been no memorial to Jim until now."