(TheProudRepublic.com) – A poignant decision has stirred yet another debate on racial history and economic development as Black tenant farmers’ graves in Virginia are being moved to make space for an industrial park.
Virginia officials are disturbing the graves of sharecroppers to make way for a $1.3 billion industrial development, stripping away their final resting places in a land where their ancestors once worked as slaves.
The decision to relocate approximately 275 graves from the historic Oak Hill plantation has sparked controversy among descendants who question whether economic progress should trump the sanctity of burial grounds.
Archaeologists have begun the solemn task of exhuming the remains of hundreds of African American tenant farmers from a former Virginia tobacco plantation.
The graves are being relocated to clear space for an industrial park development that promises economic revitalization to the region.
Some remains have already been moved to a funeral home before their final transfer to a new dedicated burial site.
The Oak Hill plantation, now being converted for industrial use, was once part of one of the largest slave-owning operations in the United States.
Samuel Hairston, who owned the plantation, was recognized as one of the most substantial enslavers in the South.
After emancipation, many former slaves left the plantation, but those who remained as tenant farmers continued to face exploitation and poverty.
The Pittsylvania-Danville Regional Industrial Facility Authority purchased the land with plans to develop a $1.3 billion battery production facility.
The development is expected to create approximately 2,000 jobs, providing a significant economic boost to the area.
After consulting with descendants’ families about their wishes, the Virginia Department of Historical Resources granted a permit to relocate the graves.
“I don’t think anybody would want their ancestors exhumed or moved,” Jeff Bennett, a descendant of those buried at the site, said.
“But for them to give us a lot of say-so in the new cemetery… I feel like (they’re) really doing it in a dignified way, in a respectful way,” he added.
Moreover, the $1.3 million grave relocation project, funded through logging the land and managed by engineering firm WSP, has involved careful archaeological work to preserve the dignity of the deceased.
Personal items found in the graves include eyeglasses, a medicine bottle, an 1836 coin, and even a light bulb – all tangible connections to the lives of these forgotten Americans.
Despite the controversy, many descendants are working with officials to ensure proper respect is shown during the transition.
They are reviewing historical records to identify those buried in unmarked graves and may inscribe the names of all who lived in the area on memorials at the new site.
The redesigned cemetery will include a memorial archway and other features to honor those being relocated.
Furthermore, these sacred sites have been paved over, built upon, or forgotten for generations as cities expanded and land use priorities shifted.
Unlike well-maintained veteran or prominent family cemeteries, many Black burial grounds lacked the legal protections or community advocacy needed to preserve them.
While the industrial park will benefit current residents with jobs and economic benefits, there is no denying the sense of loss when ancestral graves are disturbed.
The compromise reached in Virginia – relocating remains with dignity and creating a properly maintained memorial – offers one potential model for addressing similar situations that communities across America will inevitably face.
For many descendants, the new cemetery represents a chance for their ancestors to receive the proper recognition and respect they deserved, but they were finally denied in life.
Ultimately, the project aims to honor their significance and preserve their stories for future generations of Americans, ensuring that this part of the nation’s history is not erased or forgotten.
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