African Statue of Liberty

Tybee Island is situated at the mouth of the Savannah River, which leads to the city of Savannah. As ships arrived in North America with enslaved men, women, and children they were inspected at Tybee Island for signs of illness, and disease in order to hinder the spread of infectious diseases from overseas. As shipments increased a demand for a quarantine hospital arose. In 1766 lawmakers in Savannah authorized a budget of seventy pounds to seek a location to serve as a receiving juncture for incoming ships. The seventy pound budget was used to purchase 104 acres on the west end of the Island from plantation owner Josiah Tattnall, and construction began. Once complete, the hospital was named “Lazaretto” descending from the Italian word for “pest house.” Tybee Island officially recorded only two ships that disembarked enslaved Africans, totaling three hundred and fifty eight, of the four hundred and sixty two who embarked in African locations. However, Tybee received thousands more for quarantine before it was demolished in 1785. As ships arrived in North America with enslaved men, women, and children they were inspected at Tybee Island for signs of illness, and disease in order to hinder the spread of infectious diseases from overseas. As shipments increased a demand for a quarantine hospital arose. After building was complete, the hospital was named “Lazaretto” descending from the Italian word for “pest house.” Tybee Island officially recorded only two ships that disembarked enslaved Africans, totaling three hundred and fifty eight, of the four hundred and sixty two who embarked in African locations. However, Tybee received thousands more enslaved for quarantine before the Lazaretto was demolished in 1785 and a new hospital was built on nearby Cockspur island.https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/historyfrombelow/1011/thumbnail.jp