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Journal article
"Mississippi Street was Eaten by the Sea": Climate Justice and Coastal Heritage in Liberia
International journal of historical archaeology, Vol.29(4), pp.928-953
12/2025
Web of Science ID: WOS:001399432100001
Abstract
In the last 20 years, Mississippi Street in Greenville, Liberia—once a thriving neighborhood—has been completely submerged in the Atlantic. At the current rate, by the end of the United Nations Ocean Decade in 2030, sea level will have risen over 30 mm. The world’s wealthiest nations are responsible for more than 70% of per capita and national contributions to past and present sea level rise, but the effects of sea level rise are felt most by the Global Majority. This paper provides firsthand data from Liberia that document the drastic impacts of sea level rise, coastal erosion, and climate change (writ large) on tangible and intangible coastal heritage, and the role that heritage professionals play in increasing climate and environmental justice. It is an urgent call to action for climate justice and action including coastal archaeology and heritage.
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Details
- Title
- "Mississippi Street was Eaten by the Sea"
- Publication Details
- International journal of historical archaeology, Vol.29(4), pp.928-953
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Springer Nature; NEW YORK
- Number of pages
- 26
- Grant note
- Red Hill community in Greenville - Institute of Nautical Archaeology Texas A&M University Department of Anthropology
Christopher J. Morris provided transportation and support for fieldwork investigations in 2023 and 2024. Thanks to our Sinoe County partner Innovative Education Liberia, especially Dir. Shadrach Geelar, M. Bah, P. Blamo, B.J. Bah, J. Harleyson, J. Kromah, J. Freeman, R. Wiah, R. Bweh, S. Sargbah, and Prof. Gary Friesen. Thanks also to K. C. Nyenkan, and especially to F. K. Doe and the Red Hill community in Greenville. Finally, thanks to Charlotte Jarvis, whose feedback and 2024 session at the Society for Historical Archaeology allowed this paper to develop and come to fruition, and to the members of the North American Heritage at Risk group for their support and invitation to present this work in 2024. This study was conducted during dissertation fieldwork funded by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, the Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology, and the Texas A&M University Department of Anthropology. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the positions of any organization or entity with which they may be affiliated.
- Copyright
- © 2025, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
- Identifiers
- WOS:001399432100001; 99381852697206600
- Academic Unit
- History and Philosophy; College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities
- Language
- English