A new, permanent memorial in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, at the site of the city’s historic slave auction block, will provide historical context to what happened there 175 years ago.
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Memorial planned for site of now-removed Fredericksburg slave auction block
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The historic slave auction block that stood at the corner of William and Charles Streets in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, was relocated to a nearby museum in 2020.
Now, a new, permanent memorial at the intersection will provide historical context to what happened there approximately 175 years ago.
“We know of at least 20 sales of enslaved people that took place on this corner,” said Gaila Sims, historian and lead consultant of the Auction Block Memorial Installation. “This intersection was the largest site for sales of enslaved people here in Fredericksburg, right before and during the Civil War.”
During years of research, Sims said at least 300 enslaved people were auctioned at the intersection. “We have found the names of about 100 of those individuals.”
In the years leading up to the Civil War, Sims said Virginia’s largest economy was the sale of enslaved people. “We know of at least 500,000 people who were sold from Virginia farther south.”
In the early 21st century, a debate launched over whether the auction block should remain in place or be removed.
“In 2017, that’s when traction around removing it finally took hold, and that was because of Charlie Frey, Jr.,” Sims said. “At the time he was the only Black member of city council here in Fredericksburg.”
Frey witnessed a mock slave auction at the corner of William and Charles.
“He saw a group of young, visibly intoxicated men, all white except for their one Black member. And he saw the white men force, playfully, the Black member of their group on top of the auction block,” Sims said.
Frey’s bill to remove the block failed, 6-1, which prompted a citywide discussion, Sims said.
“In 2019, the city council brought it to a vote again, this time they voted 6-1 to remove it and take it to the Fredericksburg Area Museum, which is one block away,” Sims said.
After legal challenges, the auction block was removed in June 2020, less than two weeks after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. Floyd’s killing prompted nationwide protests, including in Fredericksburg.
“It was actually graffitied. There’s three different colors of graffiti on the auction block now, and we don’t know if it was the same person who had three different colors or if it was several people, but it was very clear that the auction block had become a really potent symbol of racial injustice,” Sims said.
New memorial at same location
After extensive research, community engagement and the selection of EO Studio to lead the design process, the Fredericksburg Area Museum and the City of Fredericksburg are moving forward with a permanent memorial installation, which will encompass all four corners of the intersection at William and Charles.
Sims said the group will be presenting the final concept to the Fredericksburg City Council on March 10.
Why build a memorial at the site of a painful period in Fredericksburg’s history?
“The majority of the community, Black and white of all perspectives, seem to want, and not only want, but need, something here, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
“They want to see something here that honors the past, that can help us heal in the present, that can be there for the future to recognize not only what happened at this corner, but also how this object became a catalyst for real community and civic participation,” Sims said.
The installation will include timelines, spanning from the auction block’s 1843 installation to its 2020 removal.
Among the displays will include an inverted obelisk, standing over 19 feet tall. “Imagine the Washington Monument turned upside down and in black brick,” Sims said.
“Embedded on the sides of the memorial will be the names of the enslaved people we found who were sold here,” as well as a symbol representing those people who have not been identified.
The intersection itself will be slightly raised to sidewalk level to draw attention to the memorial and slightly slow traffic. Bronze and black bricks containing timeline entries will be visible.
“We anticipate this installation will truly transform this corner, but not in a way that will significantly impact the businesses or cause a detriment to the area,” said Sims.
“Rather, we think this will be a really important gathering space for people in Fredericksburg to think about the history of the auction block, specifically, but also to really think about African American history, and the community conversations that led to the auction block’s removal.”
The costs of building the new memorial hasn’t been finalized, as it is still in the design phases. According to Sims, funding will be sought from a combination of private fundraising, grants and partner contributions.
At this point, the installation is tentatively planned for 2027.
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