Exhibition
Bad Bridget
Our 'Bad Bridget' exhibition tells the stories of thousands of women who left Ireland for North America between 1838 and 1918, many of which found themselves in trouble and struggling to survive.
Developing the narrative
The Ulster American Folk Park strives to give a diverse range of perspectives on the story of migration from Ulster to North America, from the 18th century to the early 20th century.
We believe in an inclusive approach to the exploration of our past, reflecting and representing multiple perspectives, which can open minds and promote respect and empathy.
On the site you will find buildings once inhabited by men, women and children from different traditions in Ulster – Catholic and Protestant, Irish and Scotch-Irish (as Ulster-Scots are known in America). Recently broadened perspectives at the museum now also take in previously marginalised histories, including the wider global stories of those impacted by migration from this part of the world - specifically stories of Indigenous Peoples and enslaved people of African descent.
These are all our stories, and without them our understanding of this history is incomplete.
Bad Bridget Exhibition
The Bad Bridget exhibition examines the experiences of Irish women who migrated to urban centres in North America such as New York, Boston and Toronto between 1838 and 1918, and found themselves in trouble with the authorities as they struggled to survive. For much of the nineteenth century, Irish-born migrants were the biggest group in American prisons, and there were disproportionate numbers of Irish girls and women in the justice system, court, and prison. Bad Bridget has provided us with a platform to reveal this previously unexplored aspect of the Irish migration story at the museum, contrary to the “American Dream.”
Emigrants Exhibition
In the Emigrants exhibition we have recently installed a series of interventions highlighting the impacts of Ulster emigration on Indigenous Peoples and enslaved people. The interventions include photographs and illustrations of some of the people who were enslaved by individuals profiled in the gallery, as well as details about Indigenous massacres committed by colonists.
Rogan House
Opposite the Rogan House we have recreated outlines of four enslaved cabins and a small provision ground alongside a crop of tobacco to emphasise the source of the Rogan family’s wealth. According to census records, 71 people were enslaved by the Rogan family. Enslaved people likely assisted in the construction of the house and carried out most of the labour on the Rogan farm and in the house.
Thank you to the following partners for their support:
- Dr Alexander Scott (International Slavery Museum)
- Anthony Perry (Chickasaw Nation)
- Professor David Stirrup (Centre for Indigenous and Settler Colonial Studies at the University of York)
- Professor Elaine Farrell (Queen’s University Belfast)
- Esther Lisk-Carew (The World Reimagined)
- Hartman Deetz (Mashpee Wampanoag)
- Dr Kaitlin McCormick (Canadian Museum of History)
- LeAndra Nephin (Omaha Tribe of Nebraska)
- Professor Leanne McCormick (Ulster University)
- Milly Mulcahey (Centre for Indigenous and Settler Colonial Studies at the University of York)
- Nadja Roby (Canadian Museum of History)
- Takura Makoni (African and Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland)
We continue to grow our partnership network, and greatly value the insights drawn from both lived experiences and specialist expertise. Through continued and equitable exchanges of information, resources, staff, researchers and experiences, these partnerships will help us to improve how we interpret histories of colonisation and enslavement at the Ulster American Folk Park.
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