After the Virginia General Assembly released the expression of regret for Virginia’s involvement in slavery in February 2007, the UVA Board of Visitors initiated the installment of a black slate marker to acknowledge the history of slavery at the University. The memorial marker is located on the brick walkway on the West side of the Rotunda, and bears a short inscription. The founding of UCARE, or University and Community Action for Racial Equity, followed suit in response to the call for reconciliation.
“Ishraga Eltahir, a rising fourth year and UCARE intern who pushed for this proposal, distributed a UVA-wide survey asking students if they knew the marker existed and if they thought it was enough,” explained Jessie Ray, the Project Director for UCARE, during a recent public input meeting at the Haven Downtown shelter. “After gathering 800-something survey responses, the outcome was ‘No, we don’t know it’s there, and, yes, we think there needs to be something more visible.’”
Since the spring, UCARE has hosted focus-groups for the student-initiated proposal, seeking feedback from the University and the community on the purpose, location and aesthetic of a new memorial. From conception to construction, the project is expected to take five years, said Ray. In August, an advisory board will assemble to withhold the integrity of the proposal. The board will also organize idea competitions and design competitions among students and the community.
Flo King, a rising fourth year and UCARE intern, spoke of the history each UVA student inherits. “I still know UVA students who don’t know there were slaves here or that there’s a slavery memorial on Grounds and what the significance of stepping over it is,” she explained. “You don’t have to apologize, you can take it or leave it, but I think it’s important to have some kind of aspect that would take their learning and education further, and wouldn’t just end at the memorial.”
Frank Dukes, the Director of the Institute for Environmental Negotiation at UVA (and a facilitator of Quality Community Council’s "Race and Repair" course), affirmed the need for a more adequate memorial. “If this ‘expression of regret’ is taken seriously, what would it really look like?” he asked the group.
The attendees stressed that the memorial be educational and have an ongoing presence within UVA and the community, and Dukes summarized the participants’ ideas. “The memorial should welcome people, move people, educate people, and empower people, to compel change or recognize changes,” he said.
What should a new memorial look like? Leave your thoughts below.