Beloved Community Cville held a “Slave Auction Block Vigil” on Sunday, March 1st at the Historic Court Square in downtown Charlottesville to acknowledge the trauma which took place there and to honor local enslaved ancestors. The experience of the descendants, and their enslaved ancestors, was at the forefront of the event and was brought alive through song, prayer, story-telling, reading of names, and ritual.

Don Gathers, Organizer with Beloved Community Cville, gave an introduction to the vigil: “On this first night of the week’s observances of Liberation & Freedom Day, we are acknowledging & honoring the enslaved ancestors of our city and county. This solemn event is a reminder of the pain and trauma of the enslaved community — who were the majority of area residents. Tonight, we descend to the depths of pain before we celebrate, on Tuesday, the beginnings of emancipation.”

Professor Jalane Schmidt described the route for the vigil and reminded the crowd of the solemnity of the occasion.  “We are going to walk around this corner of Court Square and stop at 3 stations where local enslaved people were bought and sold, before we return here to the Courthouse to conclude our vigil.” She said that the descendants should go first and be up front, if they so wish, because “we are honoring their ancestors.”
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Participants began by walking to the former site of Eagle Tavern where, Myra Anderson, a sixth-generation descendant of the Hern family, who were enslaved at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson, read aloud the names of the 33 people who were sold there. Four enslaved families were torn apart to pay Jefferson’s debts after his death in 1829. The sale was the largest in Charlottesville’s recorded history and included some of Myra’s ancestors. 
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The gathering listened to a portion of a 1949 interview with Fountain Hughes, a 101-year-old formerly enslaved Charlottesville man. The voice of Hughes was projected throughout the square, recounting the pain of the enslaved local people just over a century and a half ago.
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Following the reading of this desperate letter, Apostle Sarah Kelley said a few words and sang, “Trouble of the World.” She is a Charlottesville native, and pastor and founder of Faith, Hope and Love International Healing and Deliverance Center.
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NBC29 - Slave auction block vigil honors enslaved ancestors as Liberation and Freedom Day celebrations begin. 

CBS19 - Vigil honors local enslaved ancestors.

Daily Progress - Photos of the Vigil.

The Cavalier Daily - Community gathers for vigil honoring people sold as slaves in Charlottesville.

Culpeper Star-Exponent - Vigil Sunday at Slave Auction Block site in C’ville.

The Washington Post - Charlottesville won’t celebrate Thomas Jefferson’s birthday. It will mark slavery’s end instead.​

Article by Professor Jalane Schmidt - Humans Were Sold Here:

On August 11, local anti-racist activists and survivors held a candlelight vigil in downtown Charlottesville to reclaim the spaces where people were injured and traumatized two years ago. Elizabeth Shillue of Beloved Community Cville led the effort with support from Don Gathers, Jalane Schmidt, and Walt Heinecke. The event was held in honor of those who showed up on August 12, 2017, to express gratitude for their protection, pray for their continued healing, and issue a spiritual call for transformation.

“Tonight is about reclaiming the locations where folks were injured and traumatized 2 years ago. Singing and praying for our healing and transformation.
As we continue working to create the beloved community here in Charlottesville.”
-- Elizabeth Shillue
 
“The tragic and traumatic events that took place here on A11 and A12 perpetrated by the white supremacist have permanently stained our community and scarred our individuals. It is an act of power to have the community acknowledge the suffering and sacrifice that took place and hold it with deep care. For many, it’s a cathartic and therapeutic step towards the healing process.”
-- Don Gathers 
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We began by gathering at First United Methodist Church, a location that was used by many as a safe space on Aug 12, 2017, and then we proceeded by foot to 5 downtown locations where people were injured by white supremacists two years ago, as well as other spots of historical significance. At each location local leaders offered prayers, songs, and words of history to the activists, organizers, and survivors of August 12th.

Contributors included Elizabeth Shillue, Brenda Brown-Grooms (via Susan Minasian & Michael Cheuk), Sharon McCord, Dr. Jalane Schmidt, Dr. Wes Bellamy, Apostle Sarah Kelley, and Don Gathers. 
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Locations included: First United Methodist Church, Market Street Park, Congregation Beth Israel, Court Square, Market St parking garage, and 4th street where the car attack took place. We finished our vigil at the public art exhibit on the Violet Crown wall, where many of the activist's photos are currently on display as part of the Inside Out project.

It was a Spirit filled time of reflection and community care! ​

Photo credit: all pictures taken and copyrighted by Kristen Finn