Shockoe Institute held ceremonial groundbreaking on Richmond’s Emancipation Day
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- City of Richmond leaders and the Shockoe Institute held a ceremonial groundbreaking at Main Street Station on Thursday, April 3 -- the 160th anniversary of the city's Emancipation Day.
The Shockoe Institute groundbreaking, which was held at 9 a.m. on the first floor of Main Street, took place on the 160th anniversary of Richmond’s Emancipation Day -- when Union troops took control of the city in 1865 and enslaved Richmonders were freed.
The organization, headquartered in Richmond, is dedicated to the impact of racial slavery in the U.S., and is a planned 12,000-square-foot educational facility, with the selection of Team Henry Enterprises, LLC, as the contractor.
Shockoe Institute President & CEO Marland Buckner spoke, and was joined by Mayor Danny Avula, former Mayor Levar Stoney and city council members. Guests also signed a ceremonial steel beam.
“Today’s groundbreaking for the Shockoe Institute is a deeply meaningful step for our City, and I am personally moved to have been present to witness it,” Avula said. “Resilient, forward-thinking cities must have the courage to honestly tell their stories, even when that legacy is complex and painful because of the stain of human bondage and slavery. The continuing progress of the Shockoe Institute, a privately funded initiative, demonstrates that Richmond can move into the future while it reckons with the past in a way that honors community expectations. I want to thank the Shockoe Institute for its important work and the Mellon Foundation for providing an $11 million grant to support this effort.”
The organization has also partnered with ARtGlass and Snap Inc. to launch a wearable augmented reality (AR) tour, the first touring experience ever to combine Spectacles -- Snap's see-through AR glasses.
“Through this collaboration, Spectacles invite visitors to explore this chapter of history firsthand through the eyes of those who lived it,” said Karolina Matras, Spectacles Partnership Manager at Snap Inc. “Our augmented reality technology is an immersive medium to deepen our connection to history and ultimately bring people closer together.”
(Photo Courtesy: Shockoe Institute)
(Photo Courtesy: Shockoe Institute)
(Photo Courtesy: Shockoe Institute)
“Today’s groundbreaking emphasized a centerpiece of the Shockoe Institute’s work: the story of America is the story of the struggle to expand human freedom,” said Shockoe Institute President and CEO Marland Buckner. “From our event today to our upcoming stops across the Commonwealth, to the very day we open our doors, visitors will learn that ours is a place of learning, reflection, and action; relentlessly interdisciplinary and unapologetically evidence-based; generous in our approach, bold in our execution, and dedicated to understanding how our past informs our present, so that we can work together to create a better future. That’s why the Shockoe Institute exists, it’s what sets our mission apart, and it’s what drives our tireless efforts.”
According to the organization, an interactive lab will come to cities such as Alexandria and Charlottesville in the early summer and fall of this year.
For more information, visit the Shockoe Institute's website.
