Virginia Department of Historic Resources
(dhr.virginia.gov)
For Immediate Release
October 2, 2024

Contact:
Ivy Tan
Department of Historic Resources
Marketing & Communications Manager
ivy.tan@dhr.virginia.gov
804-482-6445

Virginia Dedicates Historical Marker for Richmond’s First Municipal African Cemetery

—The marker highlights the history of the city’s original burial ground for enslaved and free Africans and African Americans—

—Text of marker reproduced below—

PLEASE NOTE: DHR creates markers not to “honor” their subjects but rather to educate and inform the public about a person, place, or event of regional, state, or national importance. In this regard, erected markers are not memorials.

RICHMOND – A state historical marker approved by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) was unveiled for the first city-run African cemetery in Richmond.

The dedication ceremony for the marker was held Thursday, October 10, in Richmond starting at 6:30 p.m., at 1541 East Broad Street, at the corner of 16th Street, in front of the small white brick building (23219). The marker’s dedication and unveiling took place as part of the 22nd Annual Gabriel Gathering recalling Gabriel’s Conspiracy of 1800. The dedication event was free and open to members of the public.

The lineup of speakers for the marker dedication included Ana Edwards, a public historian and assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who helped establish the Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project; Pamela Bingham, a descendant of Gabriel, the enslaved blacksmith who oversaw a plot by enslaved and free Black people to attack Richmond and end slavery in Virginia; DHR Director Julie Langan; Phil Wilayto, a co-founder of the Virginia Defenders and editor of The Virginia Defender newspaper; and others.

Richmond’s First Municipal African Cemetery—historically known as the “Burial Ground for Negroes”—came into existence in 1799 on land that the city acquired in what is presently the neighborhood of Shockoe Bottom. The burial ground contained the graves of enslaved and free Africans and people of African descent. Free Black Richmonders took offense to the cemetery’s location as it was also the site of one of the local gallows and, among other indignities, experienced frequent flooding that disturbed burials. They petitioned for a new cemetery, which led the city to open in 1816 the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, located about a mile away. By the 1950s, much of the original cemetery was covered by Interstate 95 and parking lots. Starting in the early 2000s, Richmond activists led a successful campaign to reclaim, protect, and memorialize the city’s First Municipal African Cemetery, which is now called the Shockoe Bottom African Burial Ground.

The Virginia Board of Historic Resources, which is authorized to designate new state historical markers, approved the manufacture and installation of the historical marker for Richmond’s First Municipal African Cemetery in June 2023. DHR, which sponsored the marker with funding provided by the General Assembly for the diversification of the historical highway marker program, covered the marker’s manufacturing costs. The marker dedication was hosted by members of the Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project and the Friends of Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground.

Virginia’s historical highway marker program began in 1927 with installation of the first markers along U.S. Route 1. It is considered the oldest such program in the nation. Currently there are more than 2,600 state markers, mostly maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, except in those localities outside of VDOT’s authority.

Full Text of Marker:

Richmond’s First Municipal African Cemetery

In 1799 the City of Richmond acquired land in this area for its first municipal burial ground for enslaved and free Africans and people of African descent. One of several town gallows was located here. Objecting to this and other indignities, including frequent flooding that disturbed burials, free Black Richmonders petitioned for a new cemetery. In 1816 the City opened the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground a mile north of here. By 1957, Interstate 95 and parking lots covered much of the original cemetery. Beginning in the early 2000s, community activists led an ultimately successful campaign to reclaim, protect, and memorialize the Shockoe Bottom African Burial Ground.

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