Consecration and dedication ceremony held at the University of Richmond Burying Ground Memorial
University News
Memorial represents the culmination of several years of care, attention, and effort by many people.
The University of Richmond held a consecration and dedication ceremony late last month at a permanent memorial to honor those enslaved and laid to rest on the land that became the campus. The University acquired the first parcel of land comprising its current campus in 1910.
The Burying Ground Memorial represents the culmination of several years of care, attention, and effort by many people. Several hundred people from both the UR and greater community attended the public ceremony on April 23. The descendants held a private event at the Burying Ground a few days before the memorial's public consecration and dedication.
“This moment has been filled with meaning and renewed possibility, and by a strong sense of shared purpose among those who brought this memorial to be,” said University Chaplain Craig Kocher during the public event.
Research on the site was started by Shelby Driskill, a graduate student in the University’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies. The work, which began as an independent research project, evolved into an institutional project, resulting in an extensive and detailed historical report by Driskill, completed under the direction of Lauranett Lee, a public historian and adjunct lecturer at UR.
The research led to the formation of a committee charged with identifying appropriate means to memorialize the burying ground. The committee met with descendants, hosted campus community conversations, and continued research until completing its work in December 2021.
- The final plan for the memorial emerged from three design principles shaped by input from descendant and University communities. They include: The Burying Ground site should remain sacred and lightly touched.
- The Burying Ground should be unique, accessible, and inviting.
- The Burying Ground should balance sentiments of reconciliation and resilience with the certainty of an enduring struggle.
Features of the memorial include:
- The Witness Tree: A white oak has stood at the Burying Ground site for many years. This Witness Tree has been propagated, and its seedling now grows at the site as the New Witness Tree.
- Portraiture: Portraiture featured on the memorial’s wall is the result of collaborative efforts with descendants. The team of artists collected and archived dozens of historic family photos of Descendants’ Council, studying facial features to create portraits that incorporate distinctive family traits.
- Stone: A short distance from the present campus and the Burying Ground, enslaved individuals were forced to labor in numerous quarries. Virginia Mist granite, a local material, was selected for much of the memorial structure, gesturing to these geological and historical connections.
- Symbols: Descendants of two West African peoples, Igbo and Akan, made up a significant portion of Virginia’s enslaved population. Symbols on the memorial bronze work are part of the Akanian Adinkra system, which dates to the 18th or early 19th century.
In her reflections during the public consecration and dedication ceremony, 2003 alum Rasheeda Chambers, president-elect of the University of Richmond Alumni Association and Burying Ground Memorialization Committee member, said, “May this space forever be sacred, filled with peace and honor, and stand as a testament that we all have a connected purpose and we’re seen.”
Following the ceremony, a wreath was laid at the memorial.
The Burying Ground Memorial is free and open to the public and located at 112 UR Drive at the intersection of Richmond Way and UR Drive.
For more information about the Burying Ground Memorial, visit https://buryinggroundmemorial.richmond.edu/.