Fort Ward and Seminary African American Descendants Society, Inc. Meeting with Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg

Fort Ward and Seminary African American Descendants Society, Inc. Meeting with Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg

May 20, 2014

Attendees:  Vice Mayor Silberberg, Michael Casey, Brenda Adams, Frances Terrell, Deborah Weatherly, Adrienne Washington, Glenn Eugster.

Adrienne Washington opened the meeting by thanking Vice Mayor Silberberg for meeting with us and having an interest in the African American community in Alexandria, VA.  Ms. Silberberg noted that she had worked behind the scenes to help save the Carver School/ American Legion Building.

Adrienne briefed described how the Seminary community descendant families had been moved by the City of Alexandria from Fort Ward to where TC Williams is now located, and finally to Woods Place.  She added that TC Williams was built on top of the Seminary School.  Ms. Silberman noted that a friend of her is doing a film on African American schools.  

Adrienne continued by stressing that the descendants have a strong connection to the VA Theological Institute and St. Stephens-St. Agnes.  Michael Casey added that his family has graves in the park.

Adrienne then went over the main goals that the Society has been working on which include:

1. Finding unmarked graves in Fort Ward Park.  She noted that the park is run by the Office of HIstoric Alexandria; the Recreation Department; the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services; and the City Arborist.  She said that city leaders continue to try to show that there aren’t many graves in the park.  She noted that there are city employees who know where graves are but are silent.
2. Controlling stormwater runoff from the maintenance yard;
3. Interpreting the history of the Fort Ward African American community.  She noted, with concern, the city’s action to hire Dr. Moon to study the families;
4. Helping to prepare the management plan for the park and museum.  She noted that the document is now three or four pieces totaling over 1,000 pages including sperate documents for history and stormwater.

Michael said that the city owes the descendant community an apology for the mis-deeds at Fort Ward.  He said that the city is lucky there hasn’t been a lawsuit and added that we are considering that.

Adrienne added that the city was intent to make Fort Ward a recreation park with picnic pavilions to generate revenue.  She noted the city’s poor image of past residents and emphasized that “the ground doesn’t lie”.  It was a thriving and sustainable community before the city took the land and cleared the structures and graves.  MIchael asked the Vice Mayor, Can you look into this?  Brenda Adams asked, “When did we become a people that disrespects the dead?

Ms. Silberberg replied, “This makes me sad and disappointed”.  She noted that she was trying to be an advocate for our libraries and Senior tax relief and was concerned about the money spent for consultants.  She expressed interest in the city’s paper-trail of decisions at Fort Ward.

Michael noted that “African Americans were at the Fort before it was built”.  He referenced a recently found letter that the city has indicating that “100 darkies were working at the Fort”.

The discussed opened and suggestions were made about the need for the completion of the oral history interviews and the use of search and rescue dogs to find Fort Ward’s lost graves.

Ms. Silberberg replied that this effort needed to have more “sunshine” on it and noted that there will be opportunities to speak at public meetings.  She believes that this was to be a “quiet park”, emphasizing history, picnic areas and passive recreation.  

Glenn Eugster indicated that the community may have made a bad choice in tasking the Office of HIstoric Alexandria to find the lost graves.  He added the graves were historic but there are legal issues with the city’s treatment of burial sites.  Ms. Silberberg asked, “Why legal?” and Eugster replied that Commonwealth of VA laws about burials had been violated.  Ms. Silberberg added that the original mistake leads to other mistakes.

Michael noted that some of the problems are on Oakland Baptist Church land.  He asked, “Could we use an injunction?”  Brenda added that there have been illegal actions and the City of Alexandria needs to step-ip and do the right thing.

Ms. Silberberg stressed the need to find the grave sites.  “At some point we need to say we have done as much as we can do”.

Deborah Weatherly noted that 3 individuals, Mr. Mallamo, Mr. Spengler and Mr. Baier don’t want to bother with this.  Ms. Silberberg replied that “staff serves at the will of the City Manager and Council”.  Michael replied that this is an old boy network but it is not going to be this way.  There are not just a few people involved.  The church has to step-up.

Adrienne moved discussion to Sgt. Young’s home and its history.  Ms. Silberberg replied, “This is hallowed ground and Fort Ward Park should never be developed.  City leaders should apologize”.  

Discussion followed and Ms. Silberberg asked if anyone had heard of Christy Moore’s work “What’s Done is Done--The Town I loved So Well”.  She noted Mr. Day and Mr. Green and how she tried to get records from Everley-Weatley Funeral Home to try to help with the documentation of the Rosenwald Schools.  Adrienne noted that her grandmother was a teacher at the Seminary School, which was torn down for TC Williams HS.  Michael added that he wants to change the name of ______ street.

Ms. Silberberg was interested in whether the group had spoken with Mayor Euille.  Adrienne noted that she had and that the Society leaders had met with Councilman Chapman.

The meeting was informally adjourned.