African burial grounds and historic African American cemeteries of Richmond, Virginia

==Old Baptist Church Burying Ground==

==Old Baptist Church Burying Ground==

The "'''[[Old Baptist Church Burying Ground]]'''" was physically connected to the ''old Baptist Church'' meeting house at its original location on the north side of Cary St. between 2nd St. and 3rd St.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/The%20First%20Century%20of%20the%20First%20Baptist%20C/55o9AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1 McCarthy, Carlton, "The First Century of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia 1780-1880", Richmond, 1880, Library of Congress]</ref><ref>Walthall, Ernest Taylor "Hidden Things Brought to Light" page 33, Richmond, VA, Press of The Dietz Printing Co. 1933</ref> The "''old Baptist Church''" now known as [[First Baptist Church (Richmond, Virginia)|First Baptist Church]], first organized as the Richmond Baptist Church, and was established in 1780.<ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/The%20First%20Century%20of%20the%20First%20Baptist%20C/55o9AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1 McCarthy, Carlton, "The First Century of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia 1780-1880", Richmond, 1880, Library of Congress]</ref><ref>Walthall, Ernest Taylor "Hidden Things Brought to Light" page 33, Richmond, VA, Press of The Dietz Printing Co. 1933</ref> The burying ground was described as "being a piece of unenclosed wooded land, a kind of potters' field attached to the old Baptist church and used principally for the burial of Negroes."<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> It was also said to have been the burial place of Gabriel and others of his followers who were executed at the usual place for their participation in the planned slave insurrection of 1800.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> In 1800 the usual place of execution in Richmond was on Gallows Hill near Canal St. at 1st St., a few blocks away from the old Baptist Church.<ref>Nicholls, Michael L., "Whispers of Rebellion, Narrating Gabriel's Conspiracy", pages 85-86, 206-207, University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville and London, 2012</ref><ref>Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project,"[https://www.sacredgroundproject.net/p/richmonds-african-burial-ground.html Shockoe Bottom African Burial Ground]"</ref> <ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> Over time the usual place of execution was moved.<ref>Smith, Ryan K., "Death & Rebirth in a Southern City, Richmond's Historic Cemeteries", Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020</ref> After 1806 the gallows were located at the Burial Ground for Negroes in Shockoe Bottom.<ref>Smith, Ryan K., "Death & Rebirth in a Southern City, Richmond's Historic Cemeteries", Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020</ref><ref>Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project,"[https://www.sacredgroundproject.net/p/richmonds-african-burial-ground.html Shockoe Bottom African Burial Ground]"</ref>[https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/plan-of-the-city-of-richmond%E2%80%A6-richard-young/HwE6TCGbDk9eLA?hl=en Young, Richard, Plan of the City of Richmond, 1809/1810, Library of Virginia]</ref> By 1816 it was moved to the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground.<ref><ref>Mouer, McQueen, Smith, Thompson, [https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/127-7231/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Historic District DHR #127-7231]</ref>

The "'''[[Old Baptist Church Burying Ground]]'''" was physically connected to the ''old Baptist Church'' meeting house at its original location on the north side of Cary St. between 2nd St. and 3rd St.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/The%20First%20Century%20of%20the%20First%20Baptist%20C/55o9AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1 McCarthy, Carlton, "The First Century of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia 1780-1880", Richmond, 1880, Library of Congress]</ref><ref>Walthall, Ernest Taylor "Hidden Things Brought to Light" page 33, Richmond, VA, Press of The Dietz Printing Co. 1933</ref> The "''old Baptist Church''" now known as [[First Baptist Church (Richmond, Virginia)|First Baptist Church]], first organized as the Richmond Baptist Church, and was established in 1780.<ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/The%20First%20Century%20of%20the%20First%20Baptist%20C/55o9AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1 McCarthy, Carlton, "The First Century of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia 1780-1880", Richmond, 1880, Library of Congress]</ref><ref>Walthall, Ernest Taylor "Hidden Things Brought to Light" page 33, Richmond, VA, Press of The Dietz Printing Co. 1933</ref> The burying ground was described as "being a piece of unenclosed wooded land, a kind of potters' field attached to the old Baptist church and used principally for the burial of Negroes."<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> It was also said to have been the burial place of Gabriel and others of his followers who were executed at the usual place for their participation in the planned slave insurrection of 1800.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> In 1800 the usual place of execution in Richmond was on Gallows Hill near Canal St. at 1st St., a few blocks away from the old Baptist Church.<ref>Nicholls, Michael L., "Whispers of Rebellion, Narrating Gabriel's Conspiracy", pages 85-86, 206-207, University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville and London, 2012</ref><ref>Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project,"[https://www.sacredgroundproject.net/p/richmonds-african-burial-ground.html Shockoe Bottom African Burial Ground]"</ref> <ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> Over time the usual place of execution was moved.<ref>Smith, Ryan K., "Death & Rebirth in a Southern City, Richmond's Historic Cemeteries", Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020</ref> After 1806 the gallows were located at the Burial Ground for Negroes in Shockoe Bottom.<ref>Smith, Ryan K., "Death & Rebirth in a Southern City, Richmond's Historic Cemeteries", Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020</ref><ref>Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project,"[https://www.sacredgroundproject.net/p/richmonds-african-burial-ground.html Shockoe Bottom African Burial Ground]"</ref><ref>[https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/plan-of-the-city-of-richmond%E2%80%A6-richard-young/HwE6TCGbDk9eLA?hl=en Young, Richard, Plan of the City of Richmond, 1809/1810, Library of Virginia]</ref> By 1816 it was moved to the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground.<ref>Mouer, McQueen, Smith, Thompson, [https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/127-7231/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Historic District DHR #127-7231]</ref>

Human bones were discovered during excavation of the foundation for the new residence of Capt. John A. Coke's house in 1871.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> According to another source, "tombstones protruded from the ground at 2nd and Cary before 1861."<ref>Walthall, Ernest Taylor "Hidden Things Brought to Light", page 33, Richmond, VA, Press of the Dietz Printing Company 1933</ref> Coke's house was constructed within plot (#659), which was located on the northwestern corner of Cary St. at 3rd St.<ref>Beers, F. W. Illustrated atlas of the city of Richmond, Va. [Richmond, Va.: F. W. Beers, 1877] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3884rm.gct00070/?sp=13&st=image&r=0.066,0.418,0.209,0.107,0>.</ref> The plot was previously owned by the Baptist Church.<ref>[http://google.com/books/edition/The_First_Century_of_the_First_Baptist_C/55o9AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1 McCarthy, Carlton, "The First Century of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia 1780-1880", 1880, Google Books]</ref> A newspaper article gave speculation that the bones uncovered could have belonged to Gabriel, Solomon and Peter, as well as others who were executed nearby for their involvement in the slave insurrection.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> It was indicated that after being executed, they were buried in the burial ground connected to the old Baptist Church.<ref>[https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=DD18710429.1.1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------- Daily Dispatch, Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref><ref>[https://www.richmondcemeteries.org/africanburialground/ Smith, Ryan K., Richmond Cemeteries, African Burial Ground]</ref>

Human bones were discovered during excavation of the foundation for the new residence of Capt. John A. Coke's house in 1871.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> According to another source, "tombstones protruded from the ground at 2nd and Cary before 1861."<ref>Walthall, Ernest Taylor "Hidden Things Brought to Light", page 33, Richmond, VA, Press of the Dietz Printing Company 1933</ref> Coke's house was constructed within plot (#659), which was located on the northwestern corner of Cary St. at 3rd St. <ref>Beers, F. W. Illustrated atlas of the city of Richmond, Va. [Richmond, Va.: F. W. Beers, 1877] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3884rm.gct00070/?sp=13&st=image&r=0.066,0.418,0.209,0.107,0>.</ref> The plot was previously owned by the Baptist Church.<ref>[http://google.com/books/edition/The_First_Century_of_the_First_Baptist_C/55o9AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1 McCarthy, Carlton, "The First Century of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia 1780-1880", 1880, Google Books]</ref> A newspaper article gave speculation that the bones uncovered could have belonged to Gabriel, Solomon and Peter, as well as others who were executed nearby for their involvement in the slave insurrection.<ref>Daily Dispatch, "THE HUMAN BONES ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND CARY STREETS. Whose They May Have Been. THE GABRIEL NEGRO INSURRECTION", Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref> It was indicated that after being executed, they were buried in the burial ground connected to the old Baptist Church.<ref>[https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=DD18710429.1.1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------- Daily Dispatch, Volume 40, Number 102, 29 April 1871, Virginia Chronicle, Library of Virginia]</ref><ref>[https://www.richmondcemeteries.org/africanburialground/ Smith, Ryan K., Richmond Cemeteries, African Burial Ground]</ref>

==References==

==References==