WAMU 88.5FM American University Radio

Early African-American Cemetery Confirmed in Richmond

July 27, 2008 - Officials in Virginia have confirmed that part of an early African-American burial ground lies beneath a parking lot in downtown Richmond. Among those buried at the site are many people who were enslaved in the Richmond area before the Civil War. After reviewing maps, photographs and other records, an archaeologist with the state's Department of Historic Resources says there's "reasonable certainty" that part of the cemetery is under the parking lot. The rest is under Interstate 95. In a joint statement, Virginia Commonwealth University, which owns the lot, and the Richmond Slave Trail Commission say they'll be working on ways to make sure the site is properly memorialized.

Matt McCleskey has more...