Here is an African American cliche` - the victory is finally won! Two of the many black soapbox organizations in the country have 'won a victory' right here in Richmond. They were able to tear away property from VCU-via-the-city and begin demolition on it. This was done because the Confederate capital allowed the paving of this plot of land (a burial ground for slave and freed blacks between 1750 and 1810) so it could be used as a parking lot. An obvious demoralizing method to continue the mental slavery of the African in America, but what do you expect an evil people to do to its enemies? Of course there was a ceremony which marked the achievement of this, and with that a symbolic land-braking where several city big heads, including the mayor, participated. A young brother like me though is still trying to figure out where the victory is in this.
When you release a political prisoner, who's been locked up for some years for fighting for the rights of his or her respective community or region; I can see the victory in that. This is because that individual can continue to be influential on the current progress of their cause of revolution. But when you break up a parking lot so we can honor dead slaves, I'm more inclined to believe that this is a waste of time and money. Can the funds, time, and manpower used to protest and 'beautify' this area be used to revitalize and redevelop the black sections of Church Hill, North Side, South Side, and other areas where people are actually living? Can the press that covers this party instead give their attention to increasing awareness of violent and sexual issues that smoother our city's public schools? Is it honestly intelligent to add commuter problems to the already difficult parking in that area of the city? And really, do we need another reminder in Richmond that our people were slaves? What about shining that light on the black business men and women in 1920 Jackson Ward? I need my children to see the success of hard work more than the misery of slavery.
Maybe these cats just need a platform for their future political plans, but in my mind this whole spectacle is nothing more than air boxing--swinging fists at an imaginary target. Without a doubt I want to see our ancestors respected; and that's why I feel more effort should be given towards education, vocational training, family development, financial literacy, and the other things that former slaves more than likely envisioned for the African in America. But I seriously doubt that there is a dead slave rejoicing over a burial ground uncovering when drug use is still rampant and black kids neglect ANY type of tutelage. Let me also go on record to say if they build a parking lot for a school on my grave I'm all for it. I'd rather see my remains' resting place go to good use instead of be some corny museum. No one is going to forget the atrocities of slavery. And with frivolous energy behind causes like this we can see how well slavery worked.
Priorities people.
Peace.
This is an interesting post that I know a little something about because I did a little work with this whole “reclamation” project. I used to work for the VCU Department of African American Studies and I watched and help the department chair create a documentary about this whole thing entitled “Meet Me in the Bottom: The Struggle to reclaim Richmond’s African Burial Ground”. When I first learned of the burial ground I had the same feelings. I couldn’t understand why they were making such a big deal out of it, after all this is Richmond the former capital of the confederacy and there are probably bodies of slaves everywhere; but after learning more about the burial ground and it’s purpose I began to understand what the big deal was. From what I understand, the burial ground was where salves were literally dumped when they died. Many were brought to Lumpkin’s Jail where they were held until they were traded and sold and if they died while in jail they were dumped in this mass grave. Slaves that were executed like Gabriel Prosser were buried there and it is even speculated that MCV used to do experiments on slaves and when they were done with their bodies were dumped there also. After hearing all of that I realized that the struggle is not about building a museum or someone running for office (which I’m sure they will try to do...there are always opportunists), but it’s about the lack of regard for black people and their lives. It wasn’t enough that that whites traded them like animals, experimented on them, built a nation off their backs only to later terrorize them, but when they were no longer of use, they just threw them into a pit and covered it up and forgot about it. Then years later, the same institution that experimented on them, bought a parking lot on top of their graves. It’s the lack disregard that people are fighting against. Now while I don’t agree with building a museum on the site or carrying out any of the proposed elaborate plans I do think that we should take time to remember the people that are there and remember their struggles and contributions. There should be a small marker and it should be made into a historic site. After all, if it was a grave of Confederate soldiers and not Black people you better believe these proud southerners would be raising all kinds of hell!!
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