Free Concert 4:00 P.M. Today:

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL


Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond, VA 23219 - www.council.richmondva.gov



COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY

IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED

Tuesday 19 June 2012



Free Concert 4:00 P.M. Today: Musical group Jah Baba from Republic of Benin to perform at Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza: Hosted by Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission as part of 2012 Richmond Juneteenth Celebration:



This event is free and open to the public and all residents are invited and encouraged to attend



WHAT (Richmond, Virginia) -- The Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission will host a special musical concert as part of the 2012 Richmond Juneteenth Celebration.



The concert will be performed by Jah Baba, one of the Republic of Benin's finest musical groups and be held at the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza, located at 15th and Main Streets in Richmond's Historic Shockoe Bottom. The performance will honor the historic and cultural ties between the Republic of Benin and Richmond, Virginia.



The performance is in addition to a recent visit from a delegation from the Republic of Benin.



The music style of Jah Baba includes cultural jazz mixed with traditional rhythms of the African continent.



WHEN/ Today: Tuesday, June 19, 2012: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

WHERE Ceremony at the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza

15th and E. Main Streets, Richmond, Virginia



WHO The Honorable Delores L. McQuinn, Chairman, Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission, Delegate, Virginia House of Delegates 70th District,

East End 7th District, Member, Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission

Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission members

Richmond City Council Sister Cities Commission members



CONTACT For more information, please contact The Honorable Delores L. McQuinn, Chairman, Richmond Slave Trail Commission (Member, Virginia House of Delegates -70th Voter District) at 804.698.1070, or deldmcquinn@house.virginia.gov; or her assistant Keith Westbrook, at 804.301.0671



Background _________________________________________________________________________



Republic of Benin

Located in the western part of Africa, the Republic of Benin is one of three places where identical statues were erected as part of a global initiative for slavery reconciliation. The statues, created by international artist Steven Broadbent, were created to represent the historic global commercial trade triangles of enslaved Africans. The first two statues were erected in Liverpool, England in 1989 and the Republic of Benin in August 2005. In 2007 the final statue to complete the triangle was accomplished by the Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission in holding the 2007 International Unveiling of Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue on March 30, 2007. The Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue is located at the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue Plaza at 15th and E. Main Streets in Richmond, Virginia.



For three quarters of the 18th Century, Virginia (North America), Liverpool, England (Europe), and the Republic of Benin (Africa) represented one of the largest global commercial trade triangles of enslaved Africans. Liverpool's shipbuilding industry provided the vessels that sailed to the Kingdom of Dahomey, now the Republic of Benin, where African men, women and children were loaded on ships and transported to the Americas.



Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission

The Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission is a government entity of Richmond City Council that was established by Resolution Number 98-R 102-107, adopted July 13, 1998, as amended by Resolution No. 2000-R111-109, adopted July 24, 2000, as amended by Resolution No. 2003-R132-123, adopted July 14, 2003, as amended by Resolution No. 2003-R155-141, adopted September 8, 2003, as amended by Resolution No. 2004-R125-131, adopted June 28, 2004.



The purpose of the Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission is to assist Council with oversight and assistance in helping to preserve and present the history of slavery in Richmond. The Commission meets monthly and includes 17 members that are appointed by Council to serve for three year terms. The composition of membership is as follows:



The Commission shall be composed of seventeen (17) members. Such persons shall be appointed by the Council and shall serve for terms of three (3) years. The membership of the Commission shall include at least one (1) member of City Council, not less than three (3) members of the “Hope in the Cities” organization and a representative from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. Any appointed Council members shall be given the first option of serving as the Chair of the Commission in order of their appointment. Five members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for meetings.



Over the years, Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission has worked on a number of important projects, which have included:



• 2011

Unveiling of 17 Richmond Slave Trail Markers located throughout the Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond, marking sites that help tell the historic journey, human impact, and the role Richmond played in the tragic history of slavery.



The Richmond Slave Trail Markers will serve to recognize the regrettable time in our nation’s history when parts of the United States allowed the enslavement of fellow human beings and an estimated 8 percent of U.S. families owned slaves just before the U.S. Civil War. The site of the event and location of one of the 17 markers, Lumpkin's Slave Jail was the largest slave-holding facility in operation in Richmond, Virginia from 1840 until the end of the U.S. Civil War in 1865. During that time, Richmond was home to the largest domestic slave export business in the United States. The Confederate Army surrendered Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy, on April 3, 1865.



Following shortly after the end of the U. S. Civil War, which ended in Virginia on April 9, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States of America Constitution was adopted on December 6, 1865. This amendment officially abolished slavery. A precursor for this amendment was the Emancipation Proclamation, an Executive Order signed by President Abraham Lincoln, on January 1, 1863, which proclaimed the freedom of slaves living in states under Confederate control.



• 2009

Development of the conceptual Richmond National Slavery Museum

Richmond City Council provides annual staff assistance and financial support for the Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission. Council staff support includes providing fiscal management, public information, writing, publication creation, graphic design, special event and project management, promotions and fundraising. Additional staff support is provided by the Richmond City Administration through the Richmond Department of Economic Development, which includes project engineering and management.



• 2009

Development of the Richmond Slave Trail Marker Program, Signage and

Commemorative Site: Lumpkin’s Slave Jail



• 2008

Discovery of Lumpkin’s Slave Jail historic foundation and architectural

artifacts.



• 2008 – 2009

Phase II Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Archaeological Assessment: which

included engineering and storm water engineering



• 2007

Richmond International Unveiling of Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue on Friday, March 30, 2007, erected at 15th and E. Main Streets. This project was part of a global initiative placing three statues in three countries. Dedicated to slavery reconciliation, the installation of the statue represents nearly 10 years of work between the City of Richmond, Virginia, USA (North America), Liverpool, England (Europe), and the Republic of Benin (Africa). A statue was erected in Liverpool in 1989 and the Republic of Benin in August 2005.



• 2006

Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Archaeological Assessment

Lumpkin's Slave Jail was the largest slave holding facility in operation in Richmond, Virginia from 1840 until the end of the U.S. Civil War in 1865. During that time, Richmond was home to the largest domestic slave export business in the United States. Owned by Robert Lumpkin, the jail was a place that tens of thousands of African men, women and children were "stored" before being transported to slave owners living in states where slavery was legal. Following Lumpkin's death shortly after the Civil war, his common law widowed wife Mary Lumpkin, who was African-American, inherited the estate. In 1867, she leased the jail to Reverend Nathaniel Colver, who established a school for freed slaves at the site. Founded by the American Baptist Home Missionary Society and the National Theological Institute, the school grew into what is now Virginia Union University.



• 2003

Acquisition of Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue. For three quarters of the 18th Century, Virginia (North America), Liverpool, England (Europe), and the Republic of Benin (Africa) represented one of the largest global commercial trade triangles of enslaved Africans. Liverpool's shipbuilding industry provided the vessels that sailed to the Kingdom of Dahomey, now the Republic of Benin, where Africans were loaded on ships and transported to the Americas.



Support

Richmond City Council provides annual staff assistance as available and financial support for the Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission. Council staff support includes providing fiscal management, public information, writing, publication creation, graphic design, special event and project management. Additional staff support is provided by the Richmond City Administration through the Richmond Department of Economic Development, which includes project engineering and management.

Council financial support is provided through appropriations in the Richmond City Budget. This includes appropriations in the Richmond City Budget Capital Improvement Plan, Non-Departmental budgets and Departmental budgets. Funding is predicated on requests made by the Commission and as determined by Council.



Examples of Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission financial investment support, per Fiscal Year (FY), include:



• FY 2011- $6,000

For general Commission support



• FY 2010- $6,000

For general Commission support



• FY 2009 - $75,000

For general Commission support ($30,000 - spent $5,124) and for development of the Richmond Slave Trail Marker Program; signage and commemorative site; Lumpkin’s Slave Jail; development of conceptual National Slavery Museum; and, paid sponsorship for Symposium at the University of Richmond for the Civil War Sesquicentennial.



• FY 2008 - $370,000

For general Commission support ($30,000 - spent $7,748) and for Phase II of Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Archaeological Assessment, which included $155,000 for earthmoving and $35,000 for engineering and stormwater engineering (floodplain and proximity to I-95 berm) and $150,000 for archaeological services to hire a vendor.



• FY 2007 - $511,000

For general Commission support ($11,000) and design and construction of the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statute plaza; erection of the statue; and, the International Unveiling of the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue



• FY 2006 - $35,000

For Richmond Slave Trail Brochure Creation/Printing Phase I of Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Archaeological Assessment



• FY 2003 - $119,000

For acquisition (purchase) of Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue and freight

from the United Kingdom



Additional financial, staff and archeological support has also been provided by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods, and a number of corporate, nonprofit and individual financial sponsors.





- end -





______________________________________

Steven R. Skinner, APR

Council Public Information Manager

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL

OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF

Richmond City Hall

900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305

Richmond, Virginia 23219

804.646.6052 (office)

804.335.4054 (mobile)

804.937.1386 (home/mobile)

804.646.5468 (fax)

steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email)

www.council.richmondva.gov(website)

____________________________________________



MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council

is to represent citizens in creating and amending

local laws, providing government policy and

oversight, and approving the city budget.



VISION Richmond City Council is committed to

creating a vibrant community that is a great place