Richmond City Council

Monday, November 26, 2012

Free Guided Richmond Slave Trail Tour to be held for public

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

Monday, 26 November 2012

Free Guided Richmond Slave Trail Tour to be held for public

Free Public Event: Everyone invited and encouraged to attend

WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) -- The Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission will hold a free guided tour of the Richmond Slave Trail on Saturday, December 1, 2012.

Interested participants are to meet at the Lumpkin's Slave Jail Archeological Site at 1500 E. Franklin Street in Shockoe Bottom (Located in the west side parking lot of Richmond Main Street Train Station). Signs for parking and information will be up for the event. From the parking lot, attendees will travel in vans (provided free) to the beginning of the Richmond Slave Trail, which starts at Ancarrow Landing Boat Slip, located on the eastern side of the James River.

The Richmond Slave Trail Tour is expected to last approximately two hours and will be led by Rev. Sylvester Turner, Member, Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission.

The Richmond Slave Trail is approximately 3 miles in length and includes terrain along the river bank, a mulch path, nature trails and paved surfaces, which may be difficult to maneuver by persons experiencing ambulatory or respiratory challenges.

This is a free public tour and everyone is invited and encouraged to attend.

WHEN Saturday, December 1, 2012

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

WHERE Park/Meet

1500 E. Franklin Street at the Lumpkin's Slave Jail Archeological Site

(Located in the western parking lot side of Richmond Main Street Train Station in Shockoe Bottom)

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

Rev. Sylvester Turner, Member, Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission

CONTACT For more information regarding the Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission, please contact Mr. Keith Westbrook, Legislative Liaison to The Honorable Delores L. McQuinn, Chairman, Richmond Slave Trail Commission (Member, Virginia House of Delegates -70th Voter District) at 804.698.1070 (tel); 804.301.0671 (mobile) or deldmcquinn@house.virginia.gov (email)

Background ____________________________________________________________________________

Richmond City Council Slave Trail Commission

One of Richmond City Council's more than 55 official boards, task forces and commissions that it has created and that assists with providing oversight of certain projects and priorities, 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. Included design and construction of the Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statute plaza and erection of the statue. 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, with Richmond, Virginia being one of the major recipients.

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

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Richmond City Council encourages Richmond families to support local "mom and pop shop" small businesses this Saturday

Richmond City Council commends the Richmond Office of the General Registrar for outstanding success on the 2012 General Election

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL

Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 200 - Richmond, VA 23219 - www.council.richmondva.gov

COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY

IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED

Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Richmond City Council commends the Richmond Office of the General Registrar for outstanding success on the 2012 General Election

Record turnout surpassed unprecedented turnout of 2008 election

WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) -- Richmond City Council commends the Richmond Office of the General Registrar and its staff, Board, and cadre of nearly 1,000 Election Officers for their outstanding work and success with the 2012 General Election.

One of the single most important public activities that involves all Richmond residents and includes the active participation of nearly half of Richmond's population, local and general elections are tremendous undertakings that include multiple time-critical activities throughout the year.

In Richmond, as localities across Virginia saw three and four hour waits for voting during Election Day (held Tuesday, November 6, 2012) in places like Tidewater and Northern Virginia, 61 out of 65 Richmond Voting Precinct Voting Locations had the last person voting by 7:15 p.m. In many Richmond Voting Precinct Voting Locations, the last voters actually finished voting right at, or slightly before normal closing time of 7:00 p.m.

Of the remaining Richmond Voting Precinct Voting Locations, two finished at 7:30 p.m., one at 7:45 p.m. and the last at 8:00 p.m., which is believed to have been due to a large number of college students who were registered elsewhere and requesting to vote by provisional ballots, which takes longer to process.

The success of the 2012 election process came even as Richmond experienced a record voter turnout year that surpassed even the unprecedentedly large turnout of the 2008 Election, with 94,131 votes in 2008, and 98,899 this year (2012).

In addition, the election process was not allowed to be thwarted in the week prior to the election by the impending effects of Hurricane Sandy, as the Richmond Office of the General Registrar kept its doors open and accessible to the public the entire week for absentee voting and maintained its schedule of training classes for Election Officials.

The remarkable accomplishments and resolve of the Richmond Office of the General Registrar and its staff, Board, and cadre of nearly 1,000 Election Officers represent the culmination of superior organizational skills and logistical management witnessed throughout the year and bespeak an excellence that should be celebrated by all Richmond residents.

The critical work required for producing elections includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Implementing and adhering to various changes to voter/election laws, policies, procedures at the state and federal level, as required.

• Maintaining and monitoring compliance with all existing state and federal laws, rules and regulations involving elections and voting.

• Managing and processing thousands voter registrations.

• Mailing thousands of voter registration cards.

• Managing secure databases and information technology for thousands of voter registrations and records.

• Delivery of public voter education training throughout Richmond.

• Recruitment and retention of hundreds of Election Officers.

• Managing, upgrading, inventorying, storing and certifying Voting machines/technology and providing for required maintenance, as needed.

• Implementing changes to state, local and national voter districts and voter precincts, as required.

• Establishing and confirming Richmond Voting Precinct Locations.

• Managing process of local Prospective Candidate Applications, which includes application validation and certification processes.

• Producing Political Party Primary Elections, as required, which includes full-scale logistical deployment, verification and certification of results.

• Meeting strict legal deadlines throughout the year, which include those for candidate applications and certifications, primaries (as required) voter registrations, absentee voting, election days, etc.

• Preparation and delivery of hours of intensive training classes for hundreds of Election Officers.

• Establishing and managing process and deadlines for Absentee Voting.

• Deploying and managing personnel, staff, materials and machines for 65 Richmond Voting Precinct Voting Locations for election activities.

• Managing comprehensive Election Day activities for all Richmond Voting Precinct Voting Locations.

• Managing election returns and certifying results.

• Managing provisional balloting process and verifying and certifying results.

• Managing recount processes, as required.

In America, public government service and voting are considered to be among the most noble and important things a person can do and, through their actions, the Richmond Office of the General Registrar and its staff, Board, and cadre of nearly 1,000 Election Officers and Richmond residents have proven her dedication to and support of the principals and creed written into the founding documents of our great Nation, in that our individual destinies and that of our families, communities, city, state and country include not only the aspiration of our federal constitutional republic but the support of all its citizens in realizing the fulfillment of its promise.

CONTACT For more information, please contact Steve Skinner, Council Public Information Manger, at 804.646.6052 (office); 804.335.4054 (mobile); 804.937.1386 (home/mobile); or skinnesr@ci.richmond.va.us (email)

- 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

to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Richmond City Council wishes everyone a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving Holiday

Councilman Doug Conner to hold last meeting of the year in the South Central 9th District

Richmond City Council has canceled today's 4:00 p.m. Special Meeting: Will now discuss proposed Washington Redskins Football Training Camp site and Bon Secours Regional Health System Project during Council Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee Meeting, beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Richmond City Council to hold special meeting tomorrow regarding proposed Washington Redskins Training Camp site and Bon Secours Hospitals Project

Monday, November 26, 2012

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Monday, November 19, 2012

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