Difference between revisions of "Slave Auction Block, Fredericksburg"
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The Slave Auction Block in Fredericksburg, Virginia is a large stone that was used as an auction block in historical slave auctions. It was located on the corner of William Street and Charles Street, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Fredericksburg Historic Distric. The interpretation of this block is that it is a living symbol of hate, oppression, and the agony of black families that were physically, mentally, and spiritually brutalized by their white hypocrite oppressors for generations. <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/01/slave-block-fredericksburg-virginia The 'slave block' in a town in Virginia: should it stay or should it go?]. The Guardian. Retrieved January 27 2021.</ref> | The Slave Auction Block in Fredericksburg, Virginia is a large stone that was used as an auction block in historical slave auctions. It was located on the corner of William Street and Charles Street, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Fredericksburg Historic Distric. The interpretation of this block is that it is a living symbol of hate, oppression, and the agony of black families that were physically, mentally, and spiritually brutalized by their white hypocrite oppressors for generations. <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/01/slave-block-fredericksburg-virginia The 'slave block' in a town in Virginia: should it stay or should it go?]. The Guardian. Retrieved January 27 2021.</ref> | ||
Revision as of 10:29, 2 February 2021
The Slave Auction Block in Fredericksburg, Virginia is a large stone that was used as an auction block in historical slave auctions. It was located on the corner of William Street and Charles Street, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Fredericksburg Historic Distric. The interpretation of this block is that it is a living symbol of hate, oppression, and the agony of black families that were physically, mentally, and spiritually brutalized by their white hypocrite oppressors for generations. [1]
History
This block got through a long discussion about whether it should be removed or not. In 1913, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities requested the city place a marker at the site because it was historic. In 1924, the chamber of commerce proposed removing the slave block because it was a deterrent to tourism, and claimed the stone was just a carriage step and never used for slave auctions. A vigorous local response disputed that claim, and the stone was not removed. And then vandals damaged the slave block in 2005, smashing chunks of sandstone from the top with a hammer. The city repaired the damaged stone. A local guide who led black history tours in Fredericksburg described the significance of the slave block to residents and visitors. In 2017, after a counter-protestor was killed at the white nationalist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, the city started another community dialogue on how to deal with the relic of slavery. The community dialogue did not produce a consensus. A Circuit Court judge ruled in February 2020 that the city council had the authority to move the slave auction block. The council's action, after the failure of the Architectural Review Board to grant a certificate of approval, did not exceed the authority granted to the city and thus violate the Dillon Rule. The city charter allowed local officials to manage and dispose of city property. The Supreme Court of Virginia upheld the Circuit Court Ruling in April 2020. The City Council acted in June 2020, soon after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis led to widespread demonstrations and at least a temporary shift in public attitudes towards symbols of systemic racism. Governor Northam and Richmond officials announced plans to move statues of Confederate leaders off Monument Avenue, generating nationwide news, and marches in Fredericksburg even blocked highways for short periods of time. On June 5, the 800-pound Aquia sandstone block which had been installed in 1843 was excavated and moved to storage. City officials announced it would be loaned to the Fredericksburg Area Museum, which planned to incorporate it in an exhibit once the museum reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic. [2]
Controversy
The corner of William and Charles Streets, in front of the former Planter's Hotel, is documented in advertisements and records as the site of at least twelve separate auctions of enslaved persons between 1847 and 1862. The shaped block of stone at the corner is closely associated with these events and symbolizes Fredericksburg's long engagement in the transatlantic slave trade. Though perhaps initially installed as a horse-mounting block, the stone's association with the auction of enslaved persons is supported both by the documentary evidence and by oral tradition, including firsthand accounts from former slaves Albert Crutchfield and George Washington Triplett, as well as other Fredericksburg citizens. Regardless of its original purpose, the block is undeniably a feature of this streetscape that witnessed these sales. [3]
References
- ↑ The 'slave block' in a town in Virginia: should it stay or should it go?. The Guardian. Retrieved January 27 2021.
- ↑ Fredericksburg Slave Block. Virgina Places. Retrieved January 27 2021.
- ↑ History. Fredericksburg Virginia. Retrieved January 27 2021
