Confederate group joins protest (RTD 6/6/08)

The Sons of Confederate Veterans has joined the protests of Virginia Commonwealth University’s plan to repave a parking lot that covers a burial ground for slaves and free blacks.

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“Richmond history suffers when large institutions such as VCU act in such a flippant and uncaring manner by ‘blowing off’ the concerns of a concerned history community and move along with projects such as the repaving of the parking lot,” Sons spokesman Brag Bowling said in a statement.

VCU spokeswoman Pamela Lepley acknowledged the area’s history as a burial ground for slaves and other blacks, but she added that it’s unclear what may have occurred and what may remain on the site of the parking lot. The area is part of the city’s sewer easement along Shockoe Creek.

Lepley also said it’s difficult to respond to the protest because the group, which is unnamed and loosely organized, has not discussed its concerns with VCU officials.

“It’s not going to be anything other than a parking lot — same as it is now,” she said.

It is UNLAWFUL for this land to exist as a parking lot. We are smarter and better than this.

As of now, the United States Slavery Museum exists only as an idea, a plot of land, and a website. They have teaching plans, community outreach, traveling exhibits, but no real museum yet. It will eventually be located in Fredericksburg. There are a few articles here and there about recent problems with funding, etc. In other words, it’s going to take a while.

I read a quote from Wilder a while ago, and he said the reason the museum didn’t happen in Richmond was due to “land costs and civic indifference.” The land in Fredericksburg was donated and the town government wanted it to be there, unlike our fair city.

We can’t even get someone who owns a parking lot to acknowledge that it’s also a cemetery. We have a long way to go in this town.

Yes a museum, memorial, and walking tours. They have this in Africa, now we need it here.

We need to see the history of slavery and open our eyes to where it exists today. The world never got rid of this ugly institution.

Not far from 15th street slaves were sold at the docks and worked in the warehouses. In Richmond, we have memorials, monuments, museums on everything but this part of Richmond’s ugly past. We should be courageous like Berlin, face it and learn from it. In parts of the world today slavery still exists.