The Fredericksburg Slave Auction Block: A Material Reminder of Race Relations in Virginia

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Monuments, Memory, and Commemoration" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Cultural memories in Fredericksburg, Virginia, are numerous and pervasive. While some stories are rooted in recorded data, others are the product of changing tales over time—modified as they filter through the lens of cultural consciousness. Recognition of these traditions is imperative during urban archaeology. In 2018, Dovetail Cultural Resource Group explored the archaeology and architecture of an object known as the “slave auction block.” Located on one of the city’s most prominent corners, the block has a strong oral legacy tied to the sale of enslaved individuals in the antebellum period. But interestingly, there is no archival evidence of this activity. Regardless, City Council voted in 2019 to remove the block, thus ushering in a new era of racial unrest. This paper explores the place of historical archaeology in ongoing debates regarding this significant object and the power of pervading oral narratives in a culture steeped in “tradition.”

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Monuments, Memory, and Commemoration   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 907