Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad
Street, Suite 305 - Richmond,
VA 23219 - www.council.richmondva.gov
COUNCIL PUBLIC
INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Tuesday
19 June 2012
Free Concert 4:00 P.M.
Today: Musical group Jah Baba from Republic
of Benin to perform at Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza: Hosted by Richmond
City Council Slave Trail Commission as part of 2012 Richmond Juneteenth
Celebration:
This event is free and open to the
public and all residents are invited and encouraged to attend
WHAT
(Richmond,
Virginia) -- The
Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission will host a special musical concert
as part of the 2012 Richmond Juneteenth Celebration.
The concert will
be performed by Jah Baba, one of the
Republic of Benin's finest musical groups and be held at the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza, located at
15th and Main Streets in Richmond's Historic Shockoe Bottom. The
performance will honor the historic and cultural ties between the Republic of
Benin and Richmond, Virginia.
The performance is
in addition to a recent visit from a delegation from the Republic of Benin.
The music style of
Jah Baba includes cultural jazz mixed
with traditional rhythms of the African continent.
WHEN/ Today: Tuesday, June 19,
2012: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
WHERE Ceremony at the Richmond
Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza
15th
and E. Main Streets, Richmond, Virginia
WHO The
Honorable Delores L. McQuinn, Chairman, Richmond City Council Slave Trail
Commission, Delegate, Virginia House of Delegates 70th District,
East End 7th
District, Member, Richmond
City Council Slave Trail Commission
Richmond City Council
Slave Trail Commission members
Richmond City Council
Sister Cities Commission members
CONTACT For more information, please contact The Honorable Delores L. McQuinn, Chairman, Richmond
Slave Trail Commission (Member, Virginia House of Delegates
-70th Voter District) at 804.698.1070, or deldmcquinn@house.virginia.gov; or her assistant Keith Westbrook, at 804.301.0671
Background
_________________________________________________________________________
Republic of
Benin
Located
in the western part of Africa, the Republic of Benin is one of three places where
identical statues were erected as part of a global initiative for slavery
reconciliation. The statues, created by international artist Steven Broadbent,
were created to represent the historic global
commercial trade triangles of enslaved Africans. The first two statues were erected
in Liverpool, England in 1989 and the Republic of Benin in August 2005. In 2007
the final statue to complete the triangle was
accomplished by the Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission in
holding the 2007 International Unveiling of Richmond
Slavery Reconciliation Statue on March 30, 2007. The Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue is
located at the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza at 15th and E. Main
Streets in Richmond, Virginia.
For
three quarters of the 18th Century, Virginia (North
America), Liverpool, England (Europe), and the Republic of Benin (Africa)
represented one of the largest global commercial trade triangles of enslaved
Africans. Liverpool's shipbuilding industry provided the vessels that sailed to
the Kingdom of Dahomey, now the Republic of Benin, where African men, women and
children were loaded on ships and transported to the Americas.
Richmond
City Council Slave Trail Commission
The
Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission is a government entity of Richmond
City Council that was established by Resolution Number 98-R 102-107, adopted
July 13, 1998, as amended by Resolution No. 2000-R111-109, adopted July 24,
2000, as amended by Resolution No. 2003-R132-123, adopted July 14, 2003, as
amended by Resolution No. 2003-R155-141, adopted September 8, 2003, as amended
by Resolution No. 2004-R125-131, adopted June 28, 2004.
The purpose of the
Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission is to assist Council with
oversight and assistance in helping to preserve and present the history of
slavery in Richmond. The Commission meets monthly and includes 17 members that
are appointed by Council to serve for three year terms. The composition of
membership is as follows:
The
Commission shall be composed of seventeen (17) members. Such persons shall be appointed by the
Council and shall serve for terms of three (3) years. The membership of the Commission shall
include at least one (1) member of City Council, not less than three (3)
members of the “Hope in the Cities” organization and a representative from the
Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. Any appointed Council members shall be given
the first option of serving as the Chair of the Commission in order of their
appointment. Five members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for
meetings.
Over
the years, Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission has worked on a number
of important projects, which have included:
·
2011
Unveiling
of 17 Richmond Slave Trail Markers located throughout the Shockoe Bottom area
of Richmond, marking sites that help tell the historic journey, human impact,
and the role Richmond played in the tragic history of slavery.
The
Richmond Slave Trail Markers will serve to recognize the regrettable time in
our nation’s history when parts of the United States allowed the enslavement of
fellow human beings and an estimated 8 percent of U.S. families owned slaves
just before the U.S. Civil War. The site of the event and location of one of
the 17 markers, Lumpkin's Slave Jail was the largest slave-holding facility in
operation in Richmond, Virginia from 1840 until the end of the U.S. Civil War
in 1865. During that time, Richmond was home to the largest domestic slave
export business in the United States. The Confederate Army surrendered
Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy, on April 3, 1865.
Following shortly after the end of the U. S. Civil War, which ended in Virginia on April 9, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States of America Constitution was adopted on December 6, 1865. This amendment officially abolished slavery. A precursor for this amendment was the Emancipation Proclamation, an Executive Order signed by President Abraham Lincoln, on January 1, 1863, which proclaimed the freedom of slaves living in states under Confederate control.
Following shortly after the end of the U. S. Civil War, which ended in Virginia on April 9, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States of America Constitution was adopted on December 6, 1865. This amendment officially abolished slavery. A precursor for this amendment was the Emancipation Proclamation, an Executive Order signed by President Abraham Lincoln, on January 1, 1863, which proclaimed the freedom of slaves living in states under Confederate control.
·
2009
Development
of the conceptual Richmond National Slavery Museum
Richmond
City Council provides annual staff assistance and financial support for the
Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission. Council staff support includes
providing fiscal management, public information, writing, publication creation,
graphic design, special event and project management, promotions and
fundraising. Additional staff support is provided by the Richmond City
Administration through the Richmond Department of Economic Development, which
includes project engineering and management.
·
2009
Development
of the Richmond Slave Trail Marker Program, Signage and
Commemorative
Site: Lumpkin’s Slave Jail
·
2008
Discovery
of Lumpkin’s Slave Jail historic foundation and architectural
artifacts.
·
2008
– 2009
Phase
II Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Archaeological Assessment: which
included
engineering and storm water engineering
· 2007
Richmond
International Unveiling of Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue on Friday,
March 30, 2007, erected at 15th and E. Main Streets. This project was part of a
global initiative placing three statues in three countries. Dedicated to
slavery reconciliation, the installation of the statue represents nearly 10
years of work between the City of Richmond, Virginia, USA (North America),
Liverpool, England (Europe), and the Republic of Benin (Africa). A statue was
erected in Liverpool in 1989 and the Republic of Benin in August 2005.
·
2006
Lumpkin’s
Slave Jail Archaeological Assessment
Lumpkin's Slave Jail was the largest slave holding facility in operation
in Richmond, Virginia from 1840 until the end of the U.S. Civil War in 1865.
During that time, Richmond was home to the largest domestic slave export
business in the United States. Owned by Robert Lumpkin, the jail was a place
that tens
of thousands of African men, women and children were "stored" before
being transported to slave owners living in states where slavery was legal.
Following Lumpkin's death shortly after the Civil war, his common law widowed
wife Mary Lumpkin, who was African-American, inherited the estate. In 1867, she
leased the jail to Reverend Nathaniel Colver, who established a school for
freed slaves at the site. Founded by the American Baptist Home Missionary
Society and the National Theological Institute, the school grew into what is
now Virginia Union University.
·
2003
Acquisition
of Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue. For three quarters of the 18th
Century, Virginia (North America), Liverpool, England (Europe), and the
Republic of Benin (Africa) represented one of the largest global commercial
trade triangles of enslaved Africans. Liverpool's shipbuilding industry
provided the vessels that sailed to the Kingdom of Dahomey, now the Republic of
Benin, where Africans were loaded on ships and transported to the Americas.
Support
Richmond City Council provides annual staff assistance as
available and financial support for the Richmond City Council Slave Trail
Commission. Council staff support includes providing fiscal management, public
information, writing, publication creation, graphic design, special event and
project management. Additional staff support is provided by the Richmond City
Administration through the Richmond Department of Economic Development, which
includes project engineering and management.
Council financial support is provided through appropriations in
the Richmond City Budget. This includes appropriations in the Richmond City
Budget Capital Improvement Plan, Non-Departmental budgets and Departmental
budgets. Funding is predicated on requests made by the Commission and as
determined by Council.
Examples
of Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission financial investment support,
per Fiscal Year (FY), include:
• FY 2011- $6,000
For
general Commission support
• FY 2010- $6,000
• FY 2010- $6,000
For
general Commission support
• FY 2009 - $75,000
• FY 2009 - $75,000
For
general Commission support ($30,000 - spent $5,124) and for development of the
Richmond Slave Trail Marker Program; signage and commemorative site; Lumpkin’s
Slave Jail; development of conceptual National Slavery Museum; and, paid
sponsorship for Symposium at the University of Richmond for the Civil War
Sesquicentennial.
• FY 2008 - $370,000
For
general Commission support ($30,000 - spent $7,748) and for Phase II of
Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Archaeological Assessment, which included $155,000 for
earthmoving and $35,000 for engineering and stormwater engineering (floodplain
and proximity to I-95 berm) and $150,000 for archaeological services to hire a
vendor.
• FY 2007 - $511,000
For
general Commission support ($11,000) and design and construction of the
Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statute plaza; erection of the statue; and, the
International Unveiling of the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue
• FY 2006 - $35,000
For
Richmond Slave Trail Brochure Creation/Printing Phase I of Lumpkin’s Slave Jail
Archaeological Assessment
• FY 2003 - $119,000
For
acquisition (purchase) of Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue and freight
from the United Kingdom
from the United Kingdom
Additional financial, staff and archeological support has also been provided by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods, and a number of corporate, nonprofit and individual financial sponsors.
-
end -
______________________________________
Steven R. Skinner, APR
Council
Public Information Manager
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF
Richmond City Hall
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804.646.6052 (office)
804.335.4054 (mobile)
804.937.1386 (home/mobile)
804.646.5468 (fax)
____________________________________________
MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council
is to represent citizens in creating and
amending
local laws, providing government policy and
oversight, and approving the city budget.
VISION Richmond City Council is committed to
creating a vibrant community that is a great
place
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