Maison de la Négritude

About the museum

The Maison de la Négritude et des Droits de l'Homme starts from a text written in Champagney: article 29 of the cahier de doléances (list of grievances) of March 19, 1789, addressed to King Louis XVI, in which the inhabitants call for the abolition of slavery of Black people. A first modest exhibition, set up in the town hall corridor, opened on August 21, 1971; from November 1971 onward, Léopold Senghor, then President of Senegal, gave it his patronage.

The collections grew quickly, and the Maison changed premises several times in the 1970s to 1990s. In 1982 it added “human rights” to its name to underline its commitment to current violations. Since March 19, 1995, it has occupied renovated former warehouses in the heart of the village, inaugurated together with the neighbouring library.

The municipal museum has three rooms, redesigned in 2017, 2019 and 2020: the origins of the Maison and the Vœu of Champagney; the history of slavery of Black people, centred on a model of a slave ship; and contemporary forms of slavery. A waymarked trail in the village complements the visit. The Maison belongs to the Route des Abolitions de l'Esclavage network, created in Champagney in 2004.

Highlights

• The 1789 Vœu of Champagney against slavery
• Model of the deck and hold of a slave ship
• Room on contemporary slavery and human rights
• Waymarked outdoor trail to the places where the cahier de doléances was drafted
• Free audio guide with the Wivisite app

Permanent exhibitions

• Salle 1 - Origines de la Maison de la Négritude et vœu de Champagney – The context of drafting the 1789 Vœu on the eve of the Revolution, and the promotion of this text from 1971 onward.
• Salle 2 - Histoire de l'esclavage des Noirs – Four centuries of the slave trade, around a model of a slave ship, from the period before the trade to its legacies.
• Salle 3 - Les violations des droits de l'homme aujourd'hui – The new faces of slavery and a reflection on current human rights violations.

Founded

1971

Operated by

Commune de Champagney

Admission & discounts

Free admission for residents of Champagney, holders of the Pass découverte Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and people under 30 with a youth card (on presentation of the card and surrender of the coupon). Payment methods: cash, cheques, bank cards and Pass culture.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Storytelling sessions for children aged 4 to 10 during each school holiday period; four visitor booklets for children aged 8 to 12, to download or ask for at reception.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the village of Champagney; the outdoor trail is signposted from the Maison.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit