Brown's Old School Ties: Martin Puryear's Slavery Memorial

Sitting pretty on Brown University's Front Green, next to University Hall, lies Martin Puryear's Slavery Memorial. Crafted in cast iron, it's a captivating yet chilling sight, featuring an intricate cast-iron ball and chain - only the third link's been split like a broken dream in an '80s flick. This memorial stands as a dual offering, both a sight to behold and a grim reminder of Brown's history with the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It's hard to ignore the symbolism when you see it.

It's like a time-capsule, dug up from the past. But remember, it's not all doom and gloom; the memorial's a work of art too. There's beauty in its bareness. Just don't forget the irony. That's the Brown way, always. Although, hark back to 2003, when then-president Ruth Simmons started a probe into Brown's 18th-century entanglements with slavery. By the following July, Brown established a commission to shape a site of remembrance, taking cues from memorials such as the Civil Rights Memorial, the African Burial Ground National Monument, and the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery.

By 2012, Brown's board of directors collectively agreed to commission Martin Puryear for a campus memorial, which was installed in 2014 - blessed by President Christina Paxson on September 27 of the same year.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata