Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground facts for kids
The "Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground" (Richmond's 2nd African Burial Ground) was established by the city of Richmond, Virginia, for the interment of free people of color, and the enslaved. This now invisible burying ground is located at 5th and Hospital St. It was created as the replacement for the "Burial Ground for Negroes", now also called the "African Burial Ground", located in Shockoe Bottom. The "Burial Ground for Negroes" was closed in 1816 upon the opening of this new "African Burying Ground" on Shockoe Hill. It is one of Virginia's most endangered historic places.
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History
Establishment
The "Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground" was established in 1816. It was a segregated part of the "Shockoe Hill Burying Ground", also known as the "Shockoe Hill Cemetery", a municipal burying ground owned and operated by the City of Richmond. It was managed by the Superintendent of the Shockoe Hill Burying Ground, who was also the Superintendent of the Poorhouse (with the exception of the years 1863-1867 during which time the positions were separated) and the City Hospital The Poorhouse was also called the Almshouse. The burial ground was overseen by the Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Committee, which was a standing committee of the Richmond City Council. The African Burying Ground was active from its opening in February of 1816 until its closure by the city due to overcrowded conditions in June of 1879. The land that comprises this long unacknowledged burial ground, contains nothing on its surface that would cause it to be visibly recognizable as a cemetery today. Its original two one acre plots are located at 5th and Hospital St., east of the Hebrew Cemetery. It was greatly expanded in size over time. By 1850 its grounds encompassed as many as 15 acres. Later maps seem to indicate an even greater expansion, to as many as 31 acres.
Maps
In the 1870s it came to be labeled on maps as "Potter's Field", until it last appeared in 1905. The 1905 map showed that it extended west behind The Almshouse to 2nd St, and north to the Bacon's Quarter Branch. Some maps show it extending to the east almost as far as 8th St. Earlier maps show it by various names. On the 1816 Plan of the City of Richmond Property, the two one-acre plots were labeled "Burying Ground for Free People of Colour", and the "Burying Ground for Negroes". On the 1817 Map of the City of Richmond, it appears as the "Free People of Colour's B.G." and "Negro(e's) B.G.". The 1835 Plan of the City of Richmond has it recorded as the "Grave Yard for Free People of Colour" and "For Slaves". On that map the burying ground for slaves had been increased by about 1.3 additional acres. The 1842 Bates Map depicts it as "The Burying Ground for Coloured Persons" and "the Burying Ground for Slaves". On the 1849 Plan of Richmond, it is referred to as one place, and was called the "Burying-ground for Coloured Persons". In 1850 the Common Council increased the burying-ground for colored persons by 9 acres in addition to the grounds of the City Hospital. On the 1853 Smith's Map of Henrico County, Virginia, it appears twice. On the county portion of the map it appears under the "Shockoe Hill Burying Ground". On the separate city of Richmond portion of the map it appears as the "African Burying Ground".
City Hospital grounds
During the Civil War, the bodies of more than 500 deceased Union Army Prisoners of War were interred in the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground. Shortly after the war their remains were removed from the African Burying Ground and then re-interred in the "Richmond National Cemetery". The majority of the soldiers had been buried to the north, and to the east of the City Hospital (for smallpox). Interments were also made in the vicinity of the Poorhouse. It was reported that 428 soldiers were removed from the City Hospital, and 128 from the vicinity of the Poorhouse. The City Hospital building was converted into the Colored Almshouse, which then opened its doors in April of 1868. The City Hospital was included on the 1842 Bates Map, and appears to have been constructed about that time. It was located directly to the east of the walled Shockoe Hill Cemetery. Its grounds were added to the African Burying Ground by the City Council in 1850. The 1816 plan of the city property shows that the northern grounds of the hospital were already in use for the interment of paupers who had died at the Poorhouse, both black and white.
Desecrations
This burying ground has suffered many atrocities. Throughout its years of operation, it was a main target for body snatching by and for the medical colleges, especially the Medical College of Virginia and the University of Virginia. It suffered from the explosion of a gun powder magazine on April 3, 1865, and the later construction of 2 new powder magazines built upon it in 1867. Its grounds were disposed of by the city of Richmond. Portions of it became part of the Hebrew Cemetery. In addition, it has had roads, a railway, and the highway run through it. An old Sunoco gas station sits upon a portion of its original 2 acres, along with a billboard; while other parts lie beneath Interstate-64, 5th St., and also Hospital St.
Estimations
Reports of interments were regularly made and submitted to Richmond City Council by the Superintendent of the Shockoe Hill Burying Ground. It is estimated that over 22,000 interments were made in the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, likely making it the largest burial ground of free people of color and the enslaved in the United States. It is presently referred to by some as the "2nd African Burial Ground" or "second African Burying Ground", and "African Burial Ground II".
Developments
Recent advocacy resulted in gaining the support of the City of Richmond for the "Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground". In 2020, Mayor Levar Stoney sponsored two important ordinances regarding the burial ground. Ordinance #2020-213 added the property at 1305 N 5th St. to the Richmond Slave Trail, and provided for the funding of its intended acquisition. Ordinance #2020-240 paves the way for the purchase of the property. Both ordinances were presented before the Richmond City Council who passed them with unanimous support. Though 1305 N. 5th St. is only a small portion of the burial ground, it is a significant part. It is 1.2 acres of the original 2 acre 1816 burial ground.
Preservation Virginia, named the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, one of Virginia's Most Endangered Historic Places, on May 11, 2021. On June 17, 2021 a proposal was presented to the Board of Historic Resources for an Historical Highway Marker for the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground. It was unanimously approved.
March 17, 2022 - The Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Historic District was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register. The nomination received the unanimous support of the Virginia Board of Historic Resources and the State Review Board.
May 7, 2022 - the National Park Service received the nomination for the Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places.
June 12, 2022 - the Historic Highway Marker for the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground was unveiled at 1305 N 5th St. The marker was sponsored by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
June 16, 2022 - the Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Historic District (127-7231) was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
