After Judge Rule, Boycott Continues

Circuit Court Judge Sarah Deneke ruled on Friday that the slave block can be removed from Fredericksburg after private business owners sued the city over their decision to remove this vestige to white supremacy, citing possible financial losses.

Councilmember Chuck Frye Jr., said that many Black residents see the stone as a sign of disrespect. He voted in favor of removing the block and putting it in a museum at a meeting in 2017. In 2019 the Fredericksburg City Council voted in favor of removing the block and adding kiosk with information about the block on location.

The lawsuit and subsequent comments and remarks from owner of Old Towne Butchers drew sharp criticism from local activists and residents and a swift boycott from the NAACP's Fredericksburg Chapter spread throughout the City. Rallies, vigils and more artistic expressions gave way to a united voice for Fredericksburg, demanding equity and a new way forward, a way that focuses on historical accuracy rather than romanticized, white washed racism tourism.

A month after the lawsuit was brought up The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival responded to the NAACP's call to boycott by assisting Fredericksburg area activists, impacted people and faith leaders to meet at the Block for a candlelight vigil under the moon. Virginia's Poor People's Campaign launched their chapter in Fredericksburg, lead by affected leaders, clergy and organizers and plan to engage within the community by providing support and events centering gun violence, criminal justice, immigration and voter suppression/restoration of rights as well as providing bus accommodations for any poor person in the area that would like to attend the upcoming Mass March in June 20th, 2020 in Washington DC.

Alex Harvell from FreebyRunning, SONG member Justin Young, Bishop David Cunningham, Gaye Adegbalola delivered powerful speeches and song, and organizer of the event Mother Angela Cunningham spoke of a new possible world and passed the mic over to Reverend Turner.

Partner organizations like Fuera De FXBG, an ICE OUT of Virginia associated group that provides rapid response and know your rights training to immigrant communities joined the rally, citing that "Immigrant issues are Black issues and any Black issues require solidarity" and Southerner's On New Ground's new forming chapter's leadership took time to educate on the intersections where people meet demanding change and offering support to the Fredericksburg community.

At the end of the rally Pastor Hashmel C. Turner, Jr. read the following letter that he sent to the Mayor and Members of the Fredericksburg City Council:

I have a request to the Mayor and City Council!

I ask that you draw up a proclamation letter addressed to the descendants of those formerly enslaved African Americans in the City.

Virginia celerates this year 2019, 400 years of the arrival of Africans to Virginia shores. The City of Fredericksburg had a role in what we call today human trafficking, then called slave trading, but has never apologized to the City's Black Citizens who may be descendants of those sold on the Auction Block!

As a Black Citizen, I am asking that a proclamation letter be drawn up by the Mayor and Council apologizing for the City of Fredericksburg's past role in the institution of slavery, hopefully published before the end of this year.

If the end of year deadline cannot be met, I hope the Mayor will be able to read it at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer breakfast on January 20, 2021.

Respectfully submitted by,
Pastor Hashmel C. Turner, Jr.

After the vigil, the Poor People's Campaign continued the fight in the state Capitol advocating for SB 183 which gives localities the right to remove, relocate, or alter any monument or memorial for war veterans located in its public space, regardless of when erected and plans for a film screening and panel discussion for April are underway. Current law makes it unlawful to disturb or interfere with such monuments or memorials or to prevent citizens from taking proper measures and exercising proper means for the protection, preservation, and care of such monuments or memorials.

"Even as the vestiges of white supremacy are taken apart physically, we must work to make dismantle the system itself, that is the long-haul work of the Poor People's Campaign Moral agenda and the agenda of the People that lead this movement here in Fredericksburg." Reverend Leonina Arismendi, Politburo for the Virginia's Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival says about lobbying for Monumental Justice during session.

No answer could be reached from the Mayor's office on Reverend Turner's petition.