1
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https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/35ad99ea696a2e43165857add51a31f2.jpeg
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cemeteries and Memorial Parks
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Renée Ater
Description
An account of the resource
<div style="padding-right: 30%;">
<p>This collection is just a fraction of the burial sites dedicated to enslaved persons, "<a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/contrabands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contrabands</a>," and freed persons. Many of these cemeteries and memorial parks have suffered greatly over the years--some have been desecrated and destroyed while others have been long ignored and fallen into disrepair. The monuments and memorials in this collection are part of local efforts to restore and recognize the importance of black life in death, including the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedman's Cemetery Memorial</a> in Dallas, Texas, and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African Burying Ground Memorial</a> in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.</p>
<p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p>
<p>Seth Freed Wesler, "Black Deaths Matter," The Nation, October 15, 2015, <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/</a>.</p>
</div>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Written by Renée Ater
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Sculpture
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image
250 feet (76.2 meters)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<em>African Burial Ground National Monument</em> (New York City)
Subject
The topic of the resource
<p>Subject (Topic)<br />African Americans--New York<br />Cemeteries--New York<br />New York City--History<br />Northeastern United States<br />Public art<br />Public sculpture<br />Slave trade<br />Slavery--New York (State)</p>
<p>Subject (Object Type)<br />Commemorative sculpture</p>
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The memorial sits on .35 acres and includes seven distinct design features: Wall of Remembrance, Ancestral Re-Interment Grove, Memorial Wall, The Ancestral Chamber, Circle of the Diaspora, Spiral Processional Ramp, and The Ancestral Libation Court.<br /><br />The visitor is invited to walk through the monumental triangular structure known as “The Ancestral Chamber,” which represents the Middle Passage across the Atlantic Ocean. After passing through the chamber, the visitor encounters a spiral memorial wall featuring twenty religious symbols including a number of Adinkra symbols (Akan peoples, Ghana). The floor of the monument includes a world map centered on the West African coast with sun rays radiating towards North America, Brazil, Europe, and the Caribbean Islands.</p>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Leon, Rodney, 1972-
Hollant-Denis, Nicole, 1965-
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Dedicated: October 5, 2007
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Monica Aliaga-Robles (project architect); Robert Silman Associates (structural engineer); Langan Engineering (civil engineer); Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architects; Domingo Gonzales Associates (lighting design); Dr. Gerald Palevsky (fountain); General Services Administration; Federal Steering Committee; African-American descendant community; and the National Park Service.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
JPEG
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
290 Broadway, New York, New York, 10007, United States
Has Part
A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource.
<p>Description of the seven elements from Rodney Leon, “The Ancestral Libation Chamber: Memorial on the African Burial Ground National Memorial,” National Park Service, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/afbg/learn/historyculture/upload/Rodney-Leon-Memorial.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.nps.gov/afbg/learn/historyculture/upload/Rodney-Leon-Memorial.pdf</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Wall of Remembrance </strong><br />As one happens by the north wall facing Duane Street you are immediately struck by the scale and detail of a highly polished wall of granite inscribed with following libation text.<br /><br /><em>For all those who were lost</em><br /><em>For all those who were stolen</em><br /><em>For all those who were left behind</em><br /><em>For all those who were not forgotten</em><br /><br /><em>The Wall of Remembrance</em> is intended to draw a person in, and thus begin the process of enlightenment and education.</p>
<p><strong>Ancestral Re-interment Grove </strong><br />A path extends itself north to south from Duane Street. Along this path are seven burial mounds marking the locations of the seven large sarcophagi containing the remains of the 419 African descendants that were re-interred in October of 2003. In addition, a grove of seven trees create a natural buffer and shelter between the re-interment zone and adjacent building. The burial mounds serve as markers and the trees as guardians for the entrance to the <em>Libation Chamber</em>. It is appropriate to place flowers and other offerings along the path in front of the burial mounds.</p>
<p><strong>Memorial Wall </strong><br />The Southern wall of the <em>Libation Chamber</em> shall be engraved with a map containing images and text describing the components of the African Burial Ground National Monument site in context of the burial ground's actual boundaries in lower Manhattan. This map will allow people to understand the extent and scope of the burial ground's actual size which extends significantly beyond the boundaries of the memorial site.</p>
<p><strong>The Ancestral Chamber </strong><br /><em>The Ancestral Chamber</em> is intended to reflect African cultural, spiritual and ancestral essence. This spiritual form rises out of the ground like an ancestral pillar and represents the soaring African spirit embracing and comforting all those who enter. <em>The Ancestral Chamber</em> is oriented towards the east and open to the sky above, allowing natural light to penetrate and illuminate the interior space. The interior of <em>The </em>Ancestral Chamber provides a sacred space for individual contemplation, reflection, meditation and prayer.</p>
<p><strong>Circle of the Diaspora </strong><br />Signs, symbols and images of the African Diaspora are engraved around the perimeter wall encircling the <em>Libation Court</em>. These symbols come from different areas and cultures throughout the Diaspora, especially Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Symbolic meaning is described below the image. As one circumambulates around the perimeter of the court and spirals down the processional ramp, these symbols present themselves as a reminder of the complexity and diversity of African culture's manifestation. They all come together to form a communal place and a reminder of the Burial Ground being an international center of gathering. For a complete list of the symbols, see <a href="https://www.nps.gov/afbg/learn/historyculture/adinkra-symbols.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.nps.gov/afbg/learn/historyculture/adinkra-symbols.htm</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Spiral Processional Ramp </strong><br /><em>The Spiral Processional Ramp</em> descends down 4’ below street level thereby bringing the visitor physically, psychologically and spiritually closer to the ancestors and original interment level. The ramp and stairs serve as bridges between the living and the spiritual realm. They symbolize the process of transcendence from physical to spiritual and passage from profane to sacred. The process will evolve from the public “secular” space of the city to the spiritual space of the <em>Libation Court</em> and culminate in the sacred space of <em>The Ancestral Chamber</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Ancestral Libation Court </strong><br /><em>The Ancestral Libation Court</em> is situated on axis with <em>The Ancestral Chamber</em>. It is located 4’ below street level, providing a physical and psychological separation from the public activity of the surrounding urban environment. The Libation Court is a communal gathering place where small to medium-scale public cultural ceremonies may occur. This spiritual space is where re- consecration of the African Burial Ground National Monument will continually take place during the libation or other ceremonial rituals. The sacred ceremonial ritual of “libation” is the act which will serve as an offering and an acknowledgement linking past, present and future generations in the spirit of Sankofa (an Adinkra symbol of West Africa meaning ‘learn from the past’).</p>
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
250 feet (76.2 meters)
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Black granite
Bibliographic Citation
A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible.
<p>“African Burial Ground.” The New York Preservation Archive Project. Accessed April 11, 2019, <a href="http://www.nypap.org/preservation-history/african-burial-ground/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.nypap.org/preservation-history/african-burial-ground/</a>.</p>
<p>Frohne, Andrea E. <em>The African Burial Ground in New York City: Memory, Spirituality, Space</em>. New York: Syracuse University Press, 2015.</p>
<p>"African Burial Ground : African Burial Ground National Monument, New York." Tourist Map, National Park Service, 2011. Accessed May 24, 2020, <a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/2011587283/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.loc.gov/item/2011587283/</a>.</p>
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Renée Ater
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Photograph: National Park Service, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?pg=3570929&id=19CBA11C-155D-451F-67AA7B78DDDCB3A4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?pg=3570929&id=19CBA11C-155D-451F-67AA7B78DDDCB3A4</a>
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Groundbreaking: September 28, 2005
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20240, United States
archaeology
black cemetery
New York City
Rodney Leon
slavery
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https://slaverymonuments.org/files/original/23343f5c1fdb34bbf0841f511c43ae13.jpg
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cemeteries and Memorial Parks
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Renée Ater
Description
An account of the resource
<div style="padding-right: 30%;">
<p>This collection is just a fraction of the burial sites dedicated to enslaved persons, "<a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/contrabands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contrabands</a>," and freed persons. Many of these cemeteries and memorial parks have suffered greatly over the years--some have been desecrated and destroyed while others have been long ignored and fallen into disrepair. The monuments and memorials in this collection are part of local efforts to restore and recognize the importance of black life in death, including the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedman's Cemetery Memorial</a> in Dallas, Texas, and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African Burying Ground Memorial</a> in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.</p>
<p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p>
<p>Seth Freed Wesler, "Black Deaths Matter," The Nation, October 15, 2015, <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/</a>.</p>
</div>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Written by Renée Ater
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Sculpture
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<em>Freedman’s Cemetery Memorial</em> (Dallas, TX)
Subject
The topic of the resource
<p>Subject (Topic)<br />African Americans--Texas--Dallas--History<br />American South<br />Cemeteries--Texas<br />Freedmen--Texas<br />Public art<br />Public sculpture<br />Slavery--United States<br />Texas--History</p>
<p>Subject (Object Type)<br />Commemorative sculpture</p>
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The memorial is located in the Freedman Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. Established in 1861, it is one of the largest Freedman's cemeteries in the country. A Texas Red granite archway marks the entrance to the memorial. Two niches, located on either side of the arch, are adorned with life-size bronze figures (one in each niche). The free-standing figure on the left of the entrance, the so-called “Sentinel” or “Warrior,” is dressed in clothes inspired by the Benin culture of West Africa. He holds a large ceremonial machete with its blade pointed to the ground. His female counterpart, the “Prophetess,” holds a small harp to her chest with her left hand. On the other side of the arch within the memorial garden, two bronze figures occupy the niches. Unlike the free-standing works at the front of the archway, these works are bronze bas-reliefs. The figures emerge emerge from a background that suggests the waves of an ocean. The female figure, the “Violated Soul,” whose wrists and feet are bound by iron mancles, covers her face with her hands. Her male counterpart, the “Struggling Soul,” is similarly shown with his wrists and feet bound by iron manacles; he covers his own scream with his bent left arm. Above each of the life-size bronze figures, in the top register of the arch, are twelve smaller bronze sculptures, suggestive of West African wood sculpture. <br /><br />Through the archway at the center of the memorial park, “Dream of Freedom,” sits atop a Texas Red granite circular plinth. The sculpture shows a newly emancipated couple. The male figure, whose shirtless torso is scarred by whip marks on his back, wraps his left arm around a kneeling woman. Directly behind “Dream of Freedom,” is a polished granite slab with Nia Akimbo’s poem, “Here.” Two remaining headstones from the original cemetery are embedded in the back of this granite slab.<br /><br />At the base of each statue, bronze plaques list the artist, title of the sculpture, and description of the work. Embedded in the interior arched wall are bronze plaques with poetry by ten children from local schools, who won a local poetry contest. In the lawn, several Texas Red granite blocks have bronze plaques attached to them, identifying the original river bed and unmarked graves.</p>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Newton, David S., 1967-
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Dedicated: June 19, 1999
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Black Dallas Remembered, Inc.; City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; Dallas African American Museum; Dallas County Historical Commission; Freedman’s Foundation; Texas Department of Transportation; Mary Loving Blanchard (poet Nia Akimbo); and private donors.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
JPEG
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Freedman’s Memorial Cemetery, 2525 N Central Expressway, Dallas, Texas, 75204, United States
Has Part
A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource.
<p><em><strong>Historic marker:</strong></em><br />Freedman’s Cemetery<br />This area of Dallas County was settled by former African American slaves shortly after the conclusion of the American Civil War. Freedman’s Cemetery, a graveyard for African Americans, was established in 1869 on one acre of land purchased by trustee Sam Eakins. Another three acres was acquired for cemetery purposes in 1879 by trustees A. Wilhite, Frank Read, A. Boyd, T. Watson, George English, Silas Pitman, and the Rev. A. R. Griggs, a former slave who later became a prominent local church leader and champion of early public education for the African American community. The community of churches, commercial enterprises, and residences that had developed in this area by the turn of the 20th century was by 1912 a part of the City of Dallas. Construction of the Central Expressway through here in the 1930s virtually eliminated all physical above-ground reminders of the cemetery. Descendants of persons buried here and the City of Dallas agreed in 1965 to establish the Freedman's Memorial Park and Cemetery at this site. Beginning in 1989 representatives of the community worked with the City of Dallas and the Texas Department of Transportation to preserve the historic Freedman’s Cemetery site prior to highway expansion. (1993)</p>
<p><em><strong>Bronze plaque:</strong> </em><br />The Sentinel<br />David Newton 1999 <br />Symbolic guardian protecting site from disrespect or harm. His attire is based on Benin culture of West Africa.</p>
<p><em><strong>Bronze plaque:</strong></em><br />The Prophetess<br />David Newton 1999<br />Symbolic of an African oral historian keeping the knowledge and memory of her ancestors alive.</p>
<p><strong><em>Bronze plaque:</em></strong><br />Violated Soul<br />David Newton 1999<br />Symbolic of the violation of African women and the degrading nature of slavery, covered faces represents the loss of personal identity experienced by enslaved persons.</p>
<p><strong><em>Bronze plaque:</em></strong><br />The Struggling Soul<br />David Newton 1999<br />Symbolic of the enslaved African’s resistance to slavery, and their constant struggle for freedom, the watery background represents the Atlantic Middle Passage unique to the American slave trade.</p>
<p><strong><em>Bronze plaque:<br /></em></strong>Dream of Freedom<br />David Newton 1999<br />Symbolic of a newly emancipated couple contemplating the death and suffering of their ancestors.</p>
<p><strong><em>Bronze plaque:<br /></em></strong>Riverbed<br />Symbolic of “Crossing Over” from the “Here” Monument to the “Afterlife” Cemetery Area</p>
<p><strong><em>Bronze plaque:<br /></em></strong>Unmarked Graves<br />Approximately 5,000 Unmarked Graves in This Area (Based on Arcaheological Report)</p>
<p><em><strong>Polished granite slab:</strong></em><br />“Here” by Nia Akimbo<br /><a href="https://youtu.be/rua76I5Ptis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://youtu.be/rua76I5Ptis</a></p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque:</strong></em><br />“Remembrance” <br />The moment, once here, as of now bereft<br />So many lives, all one by one taken, though<br />Not to a sad place, for thorugh this unfair left<br />They, in God’s glorious land, will awaken.<br />Most now are gone, yet hardly forgotten-<br />These treasured ancestors must live on<br />In our spirits, we remain ever begotten<br />And we shall never, from them, find ourselves gone.<br />So much like a precious family heirloom<br />Passed down through many generations<br />Never to be lost or forgotten . . . too soon<br />Yet to help us achieve our expectations<br /><br />We implore, please know, this is no morose fact<br />Their dignity is returned to us at last.<br /><br />Olivia Linn<br />1995</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque:<br /></strong></em>“Eulogy to an Unknown Freedman” <br /><br />We transient men of clay can well attest to<br />The inherent fraility of the human frame.<br />And do likewise confess that most of our names<br />Are inevitably reduced to whispering ashes of fond recollections<br />Scattering before the breath of the night wind<br />That blows out the twilight our day;<br />However, unlike this freedman, we can draw comfort from our nostaligic predilection<br />To leave our moral names engraved in stone upon the sod,<br />While he could only cling to the clarity of his perception<br />That his name had been inscribed in the mind of God.<br /><br />Though anonymous here, the past deeds of this seemingly lost life of sorrows<br />Still impacts our today and our tomorrows,<br />For the complex fabric of our times is thickly interwoven<br />With the sturdy cotton threads he spun his wheel of life.<br />Yes, we’ve heard of this freedman-this “motherless” child of Africa<br />Whose matchless paean(?), still echo here and do persuade us even now<br />That we are, indeed, standing in an active valley of “them dry bones”<br />With no need of rows upon rows of labeled stones,<br />For it is certain that “on that great gettin up Mornin”<br />This unidentified sleeping soul is going to stand up and us his name!<br /><br />Ramona Newton<br />1996</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque:</strong></em><br />“Undying Love”<br /><br />Black People, your minds is not fixed on grieving<br />Yet to feel so much pain for so much time<br />Many a soul wrecked; soon flees peace of mind-<br />This hateful world still deceitful<br />You toiled through sweat, suffering but believing<br />Sometimes too hot, the sun above did shine<br />Painful hearts pray for all to be fine<br />Images of departure, enticing<br />Spirits wandering though all those sad years<br />Laid down a path for others, much like me<br />Free, you strive to cleanse all the salty tears<br />Working so that we would ever be free<br /><br />Your dearest love that that comforts all earthly fears<br />Is reborn in this undying, watchful tree.<br /><br />Summer Allen<br />1995</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque:</strong></em><br />“A Life to Celebrate”<br /><br />Sweet sounding voices of our ancestors cry<br />Oh, little black children, our own, please hear<br />So you may know the weary-filled years<br />Which set you here: Hope could not pass you by<br />This life was hard so you, child, would apply<br />To enjoy life, those things we hold so dear<br />Not simply to toil, struggle and to fear:<br />Offspring, learn now the road we had to buy<br />Our spirits strong, living, rising like air<br />Proud, Intelligent you are, and you are<br />Celebrating life to show you care<br />Never forget your past, those souls martyred<br /><br />For no one is promised sweet life is fair<br />But unto all, the duty is to falter never.<br /><br />Remel Derrick<br />1995</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque:</strong></em><br />“Near This Place”<br /><br />Near here now sleep dead, though are they so cold?<br />Let it be known, here warm breath resided<br />In these lungs; under tragic struggle bold<br />Steps these walked, yet their pain twas abided<br />These simple lives unknown, until now<br />Face here new meaning, and are not in vain.<br />With death near, so much knowledge buried, how<br />Many secrets are buried in these lives unchained?<br />Yet lived these; lived boldly so and endured<br />Yet knew pain, humanity they preseved<br />As hate trod on, and true knowledge obscured<br />While here Dignity, is kept, is honored<br /><br />This, never a cold vault of gloom, but here<br />Is Peace, and a debt paid, this is now near.<br /><br />Jedidiah Anderson<br />1995</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque:</strong></em><br />“A Thread of Freedom”<br /><br />Opening the drawer to remove fresh cloth<br />The stench of neglect infects pure air;<br />The fabric worn from the work of a moth<br />The texture haggard, from both time and wear,<br />The history which lives with each thread, strong<br />Every stitch brough together by brave souls<br />Congregated to Fight against life’s Wrongs.<br />They came from both sexes, the young and the old.<br />I unfold the quilt to inhale beauty<br />Different colors are combined with each other<br />The passed down from those who value hard work and duty<br />And would not live, property of another.<br /><br />Our inherited freedom, life’s treasure<br />Simply belongs to all, without measure.<br /><br />Lysbet Musselwhite<br />1995</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque on brick wall:</strong></em><br />“The Post Oak”<br /><br />The Post Oak Tree stands <br />remembering Black people<br />remembering You!<br /><br />Jonathan Bailey<br />1995</p>
<p><strong><em>Poetry bronze plaque on brick wall:</em></strong><br />“A Beginning”<br /><br />Birth<br />Adventurous, fulfilling<br />Beginning, crying, delivering<br />New Experiences for yourself.<br />Newness.<br /><br />Modesta Orono<br />1995</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque on brick wall:</strong></em><br />“Because I Was Free”<br /><br />I leaped in the air<br />And shouted HALLELUJAH<br />Because I Was Free.<br /><br />Tambre Kincade<br />1995</p>
<p><em><strong>Poetry bronze plaque on brick wall:</strong></em><br />“A Celebration of Life”<br /><br />Living<br />Pleasure, hurt now<br />Ending, Moving, Pleasing<br />To know my heritage.<br />Venture.<br /><br />Alan Coleman<br />1995</p>
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Texas Red granite; Bronze
Bibliographic Citation
A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible.
“Freedman’s Cemetery.” Historic Preservation, Sustainable Development and Construction, City of Dallas. Accessed May 11, 2020, <a href="https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/Pages/freedman_s_cemetery.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/Pages/freedman_s_cemetery.aspx</a>.
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Renée Ater
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Photograph: DARTable, <a href="https://dartable.dart.org/dartable-gem/freedmans-cemetery-memorial-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://dartable.dart.org/dartable-gem/freedmans-cemetery-memorial-2/</a>
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, Administrative Office, 1925 Elm Street, Suite 400, Dallas, Texas, 75201, United States
black cemetery
David S. Newton
freedmen
slavery
Texas
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cemeteries and Memorial Parks
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Renée Ater
Description
An account of the resource
<div style="padding-right: 30%;">
<p>This collection is just a fraction of the burial sites dedicated to enslaved persons, "<a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/contrabands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contrabands</a>," and freed persons. Many of these cemeteries and memorial parks have suffered greatly over the years--some have been desecrated and destroyed while others have been long ignored and fallen into disrepair. The monuments and memorials in this collection are part of local efforts to restore and recognize the importance of black life in death, including the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedman's Cemetery Memorial</a> in Dallas, Texas, and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African Burying Ground Memorial</a> in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.</p>
<p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p>
<p>Seth Freed Wesler, "Black Deaths Matter," The Nation, October 15, 2015, <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/</a>.</p>
</div>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Written by Renée Ater
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Sculpture
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
African Burying Ground Memorial (<em>We Stand in Honor of Those Forgotten</em>) (Portsmouth, NH)
Subject
The topic of the resource
<p>Subject (Topic)<br />African Americans--New Hampshire--History<br />Cemeteries--New Hampshire<br />New Hampshire--History<br />Northeastern United States<br />Public art<br />Public sculpture<br />Slavery</p>
<p>Subject (Object Type)<br />Commemorative sculpture</p>
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The memorial is composed of a number of distinct elements. A rectangular granite stele on State Street marks the memorial’s entrance. On one side, below the engraved text that reads “African Burying Ground Memorial,” a life-size bronze figure of a man stands with his back against the stone stele. His left-hand reaches out and back, towards the other side of the stele. On the opposite side, a life-size bronze figure of a woman mirrors the gesture of her male counterpart. The sculptor, Jerome Meadows, leaves a gap between the outstretched hands of the two figures. <br /><br />On the opposite end of the memorial, a group of eight life-size vertical bronze and concrete silhouettes, each inscribed with a line from a poem written by Meadows, stand in a semi-circle around the burial vault. The figural group is surrounded by a metal railing, embellished with ceramic tiles. The design of the 110 ceramic tiles is inspired by Kinte cloth patterns and based on the original drawings created in a workshop Meadows facilitated with students from a local middle school. The burial vault contains the re-interred remains of the 13 individuals found on the site in 2003. The vault is marked with a Sankofa, a West African Adinkra symbol that means “Return and Get It — Learn from the Past.” <br /><br />The sculptural groups are connected by the “Petition Line,” a ribbon of pinks stone, which contrasts with the gray stone walkway of the memorial. The Petition Line contains excerpts from a formal document submitted to the New Hampshire legislature in 1779 by 20 enslaved individuals petitioning for their freedom. To the right is an information marker that provides visitors with the historical context for the memorial, as well as the poem by Meadows - <em>I Stand For Those Forgotten</em>.</p>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Meadows, Jerome, 1951-
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Portsmouth City Council; African Burying Ground Committee; Roberta Woodburn, Woodburn & Company Landscape Architecture; community members; Portsmouth school children; and various non-profit partners including the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, Inc., the Seacoast African American Cultural Center, the Portsmouth Historical Society, and Art-Speak.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
JPEG
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Portsmouth African Burying Ground, 97 Chestnut Street (between Court and State Streets), Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801, United States
Has Part
A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource.
<p><em><strong>First bronze plaque on Information Marker:</strong></em><br />I stand for the Ancestors Here and Beyond<br />I stand for those who feel anger<br />I stand for those who were treated unjustly<br />I stand for those who were taken from their loved ones<br />I stand for those who suffered the middle passage<br />I stand for those who survived upon these shores<br />I stand for those who pay homage to this ground<br />I stand for those who find dignity in these bones<br />--Jerome Meadows, artist and sculptor<br /><br />The Entry Figures--The male figure stands for the first enslaved Africans brought to Portsmouth and those who followed. The female figure represents Mother Africa, endlessly straining past the obstacles that keep her from her children of the Diaspora. Together, as each figure reaches around the edge of the granite slab towards the other, they physically embody the separation and uncertainty of those brought here as captives as well as their perserverance. The gap between their fingertips is a reminder of their forced separation and of the divisions of past injustices.<br /><br />The Petition Line--In 1779, twenty men who had been forcibly brought from West Africa when they were children and were purchased by prominent local families, petitioned the New Hampshire legislature for their freedom and for the end of slavery in the state. Quoting phrases from this “Petition for Freedom,” the petition line is a visual and historical thread linking the elements of the monument and putting eloquent voice to those so long forgotten and ignored. Extending from the entry figures through a space of contemplation, the line disappears into the burial vault beneath the plaza. The West African symbol adorning this line is “Nsoromma” that means “Child of the Heavens” and is an icon of guardian ship.<br /><br />Burial Vault Lid--The Adinkra figure “Sankofa” meaning “Return And Get It--Learn From The Past” forms a shield and cover for the burial vault containing the reinterred remains of those exhumed in 2003 and additional partial remains found at the site during preparations for the memorial.<br /><br />Community Figures--These life-sized bronze sihouettes represent the collective community of greater Portsmouth, gather with resolve to acknowledge, protect, and pay homage to the souls whose remains were uncovered in 2003. Each figure bears a line from the poem by the memorial designer and sculptor Jerome Meadows, inspired by this sacred place.<br /><br />Decorative Railing--The design is based on an African Kente cloth motif suggestive of boat paddles. The ceramic tiles embedded in the railing were created by students from Portsmouth Public Schools. By forming the tiles, these school children link hands with past children who worked here and future generations who will stop, remember, and stand for those fogotten.</p>
<p><em><strong>Second bronze plaque on Information Marker:</strong></em><br />We Stand In Honor Of Those Forgotten<br /><br />This Memorial was created by the people of Portsmouth. Those buried here are not part of black history or white history. This is our collective history.<br /><br />The symbol chosen to represent the solemn intent of the African Burying Ground Memorial and its close historical connection to West Africa is the distinctive Sankofa symbol from the Akan people of Ghana. For those Africans forcibly removed from their homeland to be enslaved in America, and for those of us reflecting on that history now, we take the Sankofa and its timeless meaning to heart: “Return And Get It--Learn From The Past.”<br /><br />The first known enslaved African, a man from Guinea, arrived in Portsmouth in 1645. He was among hundreds of African captives to live in slavery in New Hampshire. Throughout the Colonial Era, New Hampshire's affluent port had the largest number of slaves in the colony, up to 4 percent of the population recorded in the census of 1767. By 1810, few if any people of African ancestry were still enslaved in Portsmouth. Although early town records and other public documents made references to the “Negro Burying Yard,” the memory of the African Burying Ground and its occupants--which may number over 200--faded as the decades passed.<br /><br />The burying ground was built over and nearly forgotten--until October 7, 2003 when a work crew unexpectedly exposed deteriorating wooden coffins containing human remains. Forensic archaeology and DNA analysis confirmed the individuals exhumed as African. Portsmouth began a community discussion about this historic and sensitive site and determined that space should be restored to sacred ground. The process to create a memorial and to re-inter the disturbed remains began. In the spring of 2015, the remains were re-interred in the burial vault that is the focal point of this Memorial.<br /><br />The Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial stands for those who were fogotten. The burial site acknowledges their humanity, and ours. With design elements chosen in a series of community dialogues about the past, present, and future, this Memorial provides an opportunity to look back and reflect on the history shared with those buried here, in a space whose extent is not fully defined. Although their identities are not known, their presence beneath our feet urges us to recognize them--and others forgotten--as individuals with stories that come alive as we look back and remember.</p>
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Bronze; Concrete; Stone
Bibliographic Citation
A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible.
<p>“Memorial Park Design.” Portsmouth African Burying Ground. Accessed May 6, 2019, <a href="http://www.africanburyinggroundnh.org/mpd.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.africanburyinggroundnh.org/mpd.html</a>.</p>
<p>“Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial Park.” Department of Public Works, City of Portsmouth. Accessed May 6, 2019, <a href="https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/publicworks/portsmouth-african-burying-ground-memorial-park" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/publicworks/portsmouth-african-burying-ground-memorial-park</a>.</p>
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Renée Ater
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Photographs by Sally Promey
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Portsmouth African Burying Ground
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
Height: 91.2 in. (231.65 cm.)
archaeology
black cemetery
Jerome Meadows
New Hampshire
slavery
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cemeteries and Memorial Parks
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Renée Ater
Description
An account of the resource
<div style="padding-right: 30%;">
<p>This collection is just a fraction of the burial sites dedicated to enslaved persons, "<a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/contrabands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contrabands</a>," and freed persons. Many of these cemeteries and memorial parks have suffered greatly over the years--some have been desecrated and destroyed while others have been long ignored and fallen into disrepair. The monuments and memorials in this collection are part of local efforts to restore and recognize the importance of black life in death, including the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedman's Cemetery Memorial</a> in Dallas, Texas, and the <a href="https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African Burying Ground Memorial</a> in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.</p>
<p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p>
<p>Seth Freed Wesler, "Black Deaths Matter," The Nation, October 15, 2015, <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/black-deaths-matter/</a>.</p>
</div>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Written by Renée Ater
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Sculpture
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image
216 in. (548.64 cm.)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<i>The Path of Thorns and Roses </i>(Contraband and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial, Alexandria, VA)<i><br /></i>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Subject (Topic) <br />African Americans--Virginia<br />Alexandria (Va.)--History<br />American South<br />Cemeteries--Virginia<br />Freedmen--Virginia<br />Fugitive slaves--United States <br />Public art <br />Public sculpture
<p>Subject (Object Type) <br />Commemorative sculpture</p>
Description
An account of the resource
<p><em>The Path of Thorns and Roses</em> is an 18-foot high sculpture that spirals upwards and includes six allegorial figures: Oppression (a semi-nude male figure), Struggle (a semi-nude male figure at the base of the sculpture), Sacrifice (a woman who grasps the limp body of a child), Loss (a woman enfolded onto herself), and Compassion (a woman holding a baby and reaching towards Loss). Hope, a man with a bald head, stands on his toes within a large circle of thorns. The figure of Hope holds an unbloomed rose in his outstretched hands. Alongside the statue is a four-walled structure, “The Place of Remembrance,” the includes the names of individuals interred at the site as well as historical information on African Americans in Alexandria during the Civil War. Limestone blocks mark individual graves.</p>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Chiodo, Mario, 1961-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Photographs by Renée Ater
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Dedication: September 6, 2014
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
C. J. Howard, RA (original design); Joanna Blake (sculptor, bas-reliefs); AECOM (formerly EDAW); Howard + Revis Design; City of Alexandria; Friends of Freedmen's Cemetery; and Alexandria Commission for the Arts.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
City of Alexandria, Alexandria City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314, United States
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
JPEG
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
216 in. (548.64 cm.)
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Bronze; Granite; Red sandstone
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Design Competition: 2008
Bibliographic Citation
A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible.
<p>“Contrabands & Freedmen Cemetery Memorial.” City of Alexandria Virginia. February 2, 2018. Accessed March 21, 2018. <a href="https://www.alexandriava.gov/FreedmenMemorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.alexandriava.gov/FreedmenMemorial</a>.</p>
<p>“Forgotten Cemetery for Freed Slaves Rediscovered.” CBS Evening News. September 10, 2014. Accessed March 21, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pK4e8daKPc.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pK4e8daKPc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pK4e8daKPc</a></p>
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1001 S. Washington Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314, United States
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
<i>Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial</i>
Relation
A related resource
<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7943747,-77.0493801,3a,90y,43.15h,89.8t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOKqUR1lTAjAOfveVbI8WWlG-GgEXeYXNq5ZOSA!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOKqUR1lTAjAOfveVbI8WWlG-GgEXeYXNq5ZOSA%3Dw234-h106-k-no-pi-0-ya0-ro-0-fo100!7i10872!8i5436" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Virtual Tour of Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial on Google 360 virtual tours</a>
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Renée Ater
Has Part
A related resource that is included either physically or logically in the described resource.
<p><em><strong>Bronze plaque on base of sculpture:</strong> </em><br /><i>The Path of Thorns and Roses</i>. Created and sculpted by Mario Chido, 2013. Public art owned by the City of Alexandria, Virginia. Cast by Mussi Artworks Foundry, California.</p>
<p><em><strong>Engraving on base of sculpture:</strong></em> <br />“I am thankful there is a beginning. I am full of hope for tomorrow. A Power mightier than man is guiding this revolution; and though justice moves slowly, it will come at last. The American people will outlive this mean prejudice against complexion.” —Harriet Jacobs, freedwoman, author, educator and dedicated aid worker in Alexandria during the Civil War</p>
<p><em><strong>Inset brick with bronze lettering on plaza:</strong></em><br />1955 Gas Station. Under this plaza is the concrete floor of a gas station, the construction of which desecrated many graves. The flooring was kept in place to protect the graves that remain below.</p>
<p><em><strong>Text from Wall One of "The Place of Remembrance"</strong></em><strong>:<br /></strong>Welcome to Contrabands and Freemen Cemetery Memorial <br /><br />During the Civil War, Alexandria’s population swelled with more than 20,000 enslaved African Americans fleeing Confederate territory for safety behind Union lines. Initially called Contrabands because they were considered “property” taken during wartime, they would later be called Freedmen. The new arrivals joined Alexandria’s free and enslaved African Americans, hoping to find jobs, homes, educational opportunities, and lost family. They also found deplorable living conditions and a raging smallpox epidemic. Many people died just as freedom came within reach. <br /><br />The federal government established a cemetery for the dead here in 1864. A formal record documents the burials for 1,711 individuals through January 1869 when the government abandoned the cemetery. The community of Freedmen was left the task of maintenance, and may have continued using the burial ground well after it closed. Over time, its wooden grave markers deteriorated, and the cemetery suffered many desecrations. An adjacent brick manufactory excavated clay, exposing bones and coffins. The paving of Washington Street covered and disturbed graves and the development of a gas station, the Beltway, and an office building destroyed hundreds more. <br /><br />Locations of many of the surviving graves remain unidentified but more than 540 have been found by archaeologists and given markers. Though individuals can no longer be linked to burial plots, the names of those buried in this cemetery survive. They are inscribed here, along with ages, dates, and places of death, and notes left by the record-keeper. Today, visitors to the cemetery memorial join descendants of the Contrabands and Freedman in honoring the memorial of these freedom seekers.<br /><br />Individuals for whom living descendants have been identified are noted with this marker.<br /><br /><em>[The following text appears above the bronze plaques with the names of those buried at the site.]</em><br /><br />In Alexandria’s first known civil rights protest,… members of the United States Colored Troops signed a petition requesting that black soldiers be buried alongside their white comrades in arms at the nearby military cemetery. Some Authors fought their request and, in one instance, the caisson of a USCT soldier en route to the military cemetery was forcibly re-routed to his cemetery. Still, the soldiers won their battle, and in January 1865, caskets of over a hundred USCT soldiers were disinterred from this burial ground and moved to Alexandria’s National Cemetery where they are recognized by stone markers today. Their names are listed below.</p>
<p><em><strong>Text from Wall Two of "The Place of Remembrance":</strong></em><br />[<em>The following text appears below an 1865 grid street plan of Alexandria</em>] <br /><br />The City
<br />The Freedom seekers who arrived in Alexandria joined a large existing community of African Americans, including many free and enslaved individuals. These residents, new and old, helped to shape the city, establishing neighborhoods, and founding churches and schools. They also went to work on the railroads, at the wharves, in factories and small businesses, at hospitals and army encampments, and in their homes. <br /><br />Freedmen’s Cemetery <br />This burial ground for African Americans was established by the federal government on the outskirts of town, on land owned by Francis Smith, Robert E. Lee’s attorney.<br /><br />Soldiers Cemetery<br />Injured soldiers of the US Colored Troops convalescing at L’Ouverture Hospital successfully petitioned for the right to a burial alongside their white comrades at this military cemetery. <br /><br />Slave Jail and L’Ouverture Hospital <br />The Price Birch and Co. slave jail at 1315 Duke Street was once the last stop for thousands of slaves sold south to a life of extreme hardship. The Union army commandeered the property as a jail. In 1804, a hospital was built nearby that treated African American soldiers and civilians for diseases like tuberculosis and typhoid, Shiloh Baptist Church congregation formed here.<br /><br />Contraband Barracks and School <br />Some Freedmen found housing in crowded barracks like those on Prince Street. Despite the difficult conditions. Freedmen attended a school established at the barracks.<br /><br />African American Schools<br />Deprived of an education by slavery, Contraband and Freedmen seized the opportunity to learn. Adults and children alike filled Contraband schools across the city learning for the first time to read and write.<br /><br />African American Neighborhoods <br />While some of those arriving in Alexandria settled into established free black neighborhoods such as Hayti and the Bottoms, most camped out in deserted buildings or on marginal land, often constructing their own huts and shacks. These crowded settlements eventually became new African American neighborhoods such as Cross-Canal, Petersburg, and Grantville.<br /><br />African American Churches <br />Places of gathering, faith, aid, and activism, Alexandria’s black churches were critical to the Contraband and Freedmen community. Many of Alexandria’s present-day congregations began meeting during the war. <br /><br />Railroads<br />Alexandria’s strategic location where railroads met waterways made it a center of supply for the Union army. Rails also transported soldiers to the front and brought back the wounded to Alexandria’s hospital. Many Freedmen became railroad workers helping to keep goods and personnel moving. <br /><br />Wharves <br />Many Contrabands and Freemen worked on the waterfront, processing, loading, and unloading goods coming in on ships and by rail. These laborers kept a steady stream of food and supplies flowing to the Union army.<br /><br />[<em>The following text appears below a bas-relief of enslaved people escaping bondage</em>] <br /><br />Fleeing slavery for sanctuary and freedom in Alexandria<br /><br />When Virginia seceded in May of 1861, Union troops occupied Alexandria and turned the port town into a staging area and base for operation. It also became a beacon for freedom seekers who took the opportunity war provided to escape enslavement. Thousands of fleeing African Americans made the dangerous and difficult journey through Confederate territory, often traveling on foot, some coming from hundreds of miles away. They arrived in Alexandria hungry, tired, and with few resources, and began searching our food, clothing shelter, medical treatment, and education. <br /><br /><em>[The following quote appears to the right of the bas-relief.]</em><br /><br />“I traveled 65 miles and we had 52 on our number before, we crost, the river…we tought, we wold, be taken eny moment, the babys cried, and we could whear, the sound of them. On the warter. We lay all night in the woods, and next day we traveled on and we reached, Suffolk that night and we lost twenty one of the Number.” —Emma Bynum, a freedwoman describing her flights to freedmen in a composition for her schoolteacher, Miss Lucy Chase</p>
<p><em><strong>Text from Wall Three of "The Place of Remembrance":</strong></em><br /><em>[The following text appears below a bas-relief of a school teacher surrounded by her students</em>.]<br /><br />Learning to read at an Alexandria freedmen’s school<br /><br />Overwhelmed by their numbers, Alexandria could offer little aid to the newly arrived Contrabands. Some took up residence in temporary barracks created near the site of a former slave jail. Others found shelter in free black neighborhoods or in abandoned buildings and shanties. Social workers like Julia Wilbur, a white Quaker from New York, and Harriet Jacobs, a black freedwoman, responded to the need by gathering supplies, attending to medical problems, and setting up school and other community services. Despite their efforts, many particularly children, died from exposure or disease. Still, the freed people worked tirelessly to create new lives, and in the process, reshaped the city of Alexandria.” <br /><br /><em>[The following quote appears to the right of the bas-relief.]</em> <br /><br />“Besides the school in the barracks there are our others in the city, which are self-sustaining, one containing one hundred and fifty pupils, It is an astonishing fact, which ought to be placed upon record…that out of the two thousand people collected at Alexandria there are four hundred children sent daily to school. The first demand of these fugitives when they come into this place is that their children may go to school.” —Harriet Jacobs, freedwoman, educator, and aid worker in Alexandria, April 29, 1863<br /><br />[<em>The following text appears below an aerial map of the cemetery</em>] <br /><br />The Site:<br />The cemetery was established in 1864 and officially closed in 1869. Burials probably continued after this time, even as the wooden grave markers from the Civil War era deteriorated. Over the next century, this site endured many intrusions, and no longer appeared to be a sacred place. This site map identified features uncovered by historical and archaeological research, as well as desecrations, that occurred through the 1990s.”<br /><br />1) Memorial Fence: Today, a steel fence evokes the wooden picket fence that once encircled the cemetery. The historic boundary is unknown, but likely included additional land that was paved over during the construction of South Washington Street.<br /><br />2) Carriage Path: Carts carrying the dead entered the cemetery along this route.<br /><br />3) Grave Shafts: Archaeology has identified more than 540 of the 1,711 burials believed to be present on site. Although no graves or artifacts were disturbed, the study revealed evidence of prior destruction caused by development of the site.<br /><br />4) American Indian Site: Thousands of stone artifacts were discovered during archaeological investigations, including a 13,000 year old Clovis spear point. These finds suggest that American Indians periodically visited this bluff overlooking Hunting Creek for millennia to manufacture tools for hunting, scraping, hides, and other activities.<br /><br />5) United States Colored Troops Section: As a result of a successful protest by USCT to be buried with full honors alongside their white comrades, the caskets of USCT were moved from a section of the cemetery to the nearby military cemetery in 1805.<br /><br />6) Brickyard: Clay excavations may have occurred on the western edge of the cemetery, resulting in the desecration of graves, as noted by an 1892 <em>Washington Post</em> article: Of late the owners have been allowing the neighboring brickyard to dig clay from the outer edges of the graveyard with which to make brick. This digging has resulted in the unearthing of many coffins and skeletons, leaving the outer graves in very bad condition.<br /><br />7) Gas Station: The current memorial plaza is built atop the floor and foundations of a service station built in 1955.<br /><br />8) Office Building: The slab of a 1960 office building was covered during the memorial’s construction to protect the graves presumed to be below. A reconstruction portion of the building can still be seen on Church Street. Two stone Markers located the southernmost corners of the building.</p>
<p><em><strong>Text from Wall Four of “The Place of Remembrance”:</strong></em><strong></strong><br />“I have just witnessed a novel and solemn scene, a funeral in the open air. The deceased, Peter Washington, was an old man, and a slave until the breaking out of the war… After the signing and a prayer, a minister, an early associate of the deceased gave a brief sketch of the life of Peter Washington. He had eight children; in one day he was bereft of his six daughters and five grandchildren. ‘On that day’ said the minister, ‘he leant on me, and with a bursting heart exclaimed, “If it were not my hope in Christ, I could not bear up under this trial.”’ [M]any of his hearers seemed to find an echo to a like experience in their own souls, They swayed their forms, and moaned as if some wound of the past was being dressily probed. No child of his came to bid him a last farewell, they are scattered I know not where: his two sons are in the army battling for the country their father loved inspite of her persecutions to him and his.” —Harriet Jacobs, freedwoman, educator, and aid worker in Alexandria, describing the funeral of Peter Washington, buried here May 32, 1864</p>
<p><em><strong>Text from grave marker:</strong></em><br />Many of the African Americans who fled to Alexandria to escape enslavement and those already living here succumbed to disease and deprivation during and shortly after the Civil War. Carts bearing the dead entered the cemetery along a path in this location. Stones mark the locations of more than 540 graves identified by archaeologists and now protected by the memorial. According to historic records, the cemetery once held nearly 1,200 additional graves, many of which were destroyed by buildings and roads. Of the people laid to rest here, over half were children under the age of sixteen.</p>
archaeology
black cemetery
Civil War
contrabands
freedmen
Mario Chiodo
slavery
Virginia