The Colored Museum

The exhibit opens with the sound of drums pounding, accompanied by images projected onto the white walls onstage. The images are of African slaves being captured, tortured, and loaded onto slave ships. The lights come up to reveal Miss Pat standing on stage in a pink flight attendant’s uniform.

Miss Pat welcomes the audience members aboard “Celebrity Slaveship” on route to Savannah from the Gold Coast, listing stops in the West Indies along the way. She informs the passengers they must wear their shackles at all times while removing a shackle from an overhead compartment. She demonstrates how the passengers are to then fasten the shackles to themselves. Two “Fasten Your Shackle” signs light up on either side of her. Miss Pat reiterates that, aside from some dancing and stretching, shackles must be worn at all times.

She asks the audience to refrain from call-and-response singing between the cabins as “that sort of thing can lead to rebellion” (2). She emphasizes that no drums are allowed on board, insisting the audience repeat the direction “no drums” after her. The “Fasten Your Shackles” sign illuminates again, and the plane takes off as satirical muzak begins.