Sadly, the recent repaving of the parking lot at 15th Street is not the first time that Virginia Commonwealth University has disregarded important African American slave history.
Back in the 1990’s, Richmond activists warned President Trani that it was wrong to tear down the Jacob House in order to make room for the VCU Engineering School. So, to mute protests, he decided to have it moved across the street. There were still concerns that this would ruin the historical integrity of the site since it was considered a probable Underground Railroad site. One man, Alan Schintzius, actually got arrested when he laid in front of the bulldozer. Sure enough, a hidden basement room was discovered after the house was moved. Its gone now, filled in and buried by VCU.
You have to wonder what other Richmond history has been buried.
At least the moved Jacob House survives, for now, at the corner of Cary and Pine.
Our Hebrew forefathers were enslaved and our Irish forefathers were indentured servants; just about everyone has some slaves in their family tree.
VCU is not disregarding history. Rather than dwell in the past, VCU has devoted its energies to making a positive history for those who are alive today.
If MLK were alive today, he would agree with VCU, saying, “Build, baby, build!”
VCU hired the VCU Archaeological Research Center to conduct a survey of the site of the Jacob House after it was moved. They determined that it may be one of the few archaeological sites in the US related to the Underground Railroad. But VCU demanded that the Research Center not prepare a report of their findings and proceeded to pave the site.
There is plenty of black history buried underneath all of these new structures and VCU is not solely at fault here. This I blame on the greedy wanting to poor more money into worthless projects. There are plenty of homeless people and public housing that funds can be alotted to but nobody cares about that. Just like the history, this entire city has gone to H-E- double hockey sticks…real talk…Peace.
Commemorate the area to whatever scale & pave around it.
Shouldn’t the Va Historical Society, Valentine Museum, Museum of the Confederacy & Civil War Museum be involved in this?
Good point Michael. Actually, the Va Dept of Historic Resources would be the big dog here if willing. I suggest you contact them and opine freely. Ask for Kathleen Kilpatrick. And good luck.
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