Shockoe invites community members to help plan memorial process of permanent African Burying Ground

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The City of Richmond is in partnership with the Shockoe Project and other design teams to construct a memorial planning process of a permanent memorial at the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground.

The community focused event will be held Saturday, July 12 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Abner Clay Park.

At the gathering, preliminary design concepts of the memorial will be unveiled, along with a platform to provide residents a chance to voice their input on how to best honor the estimated 22,000 free and enslaved African Americans who were interred at the site.

Manager of the overall project Leo Mantey said, "This s a vital step The Shockoe Project and the City of Richmond are taking toward honoring and reclaiming this sacred ground."

Mantey continued on to say that, "Community voices are essential in shaping a memorial that truly reflects the dignity and legacy of those buried here."

The project will be in collaboration with design teams such as Bakersville and Watershed Studio.

Originally established in 1816 to replace the original burial ground in Shockoe Valley, the Shockoe Hill African American Burying Ground was one of the largest cemeteries of its kind in the the U.S., according to the press release.

The cemetery site covers a vast area and sat near the city's former poorhouse, which served both enslaved and free individuals. However, according to the release, the site has been neglected and erased from the public's memory.

Organizers said that the community centered aspect of the design process is a key step in restoring the memory and ensuring that the legacy of those buried there is honored with the respect they deserve.

To find out more about The Shockoe Project you can click here.