Liberty Trail to include nod to Richmond's Slave Trail

The organizer of a proposed Liberty Trail through Richmond agreed this week to incorporate several key sites from the city's Slave Trail, including Lumpkin's Jail and the African Burial Ground, after a backlash from the Richmond Slave Trail Commission.

Valentine Richmond History Center Director William J. Martin, who is spearheading the Liberty Trail project, also agreed to include the commission in the development of the trail.

Del. Delores L. McQuinn, D-Richmond, the commission's chairwoman, last week said the draft map of the Liberty Trail was unacceptable and called for inclusion of the Slave Trail.

"It is a part of Richmond's history," McQuinn said. "It should under no circumstances be left out."

Martin said he and other participants in the Greater Richmond Chamber's Liberty Trail project "probably moved too quickly" to create the trail.

Martin called the exclusion of all slave sites an oversight, adding that he always planned for the Slave Trail to be included on maps. In the past 20 years, Richmond has unearthed its history as one of the nation's largest slave trade markets.

When the Slave Trail Commission first saw the proposed Liberty Trail map on Sept. 6, members expressed frustration that it did not incorporate important slave-history sites and did not mention the Slave Trail. They also said they were disappointed not to have been consulted in the creation of the Liberty Trail map, which circles through the Jackson Ward Historic District and past the Maggie Walker House.

Chamber members were inspired to create the trail during the chamber's InterCity trip to Boston this year, where they toured that city's Freedom Trail. Martin said last week that the 6-mile Liberty Trail course had been intended to link 14 of Richmond's 17 National Historic Landmarks and was designed to complement the Slave Trail.

Martin said he apologized in the Wednesday meeting with McQuinn, which was also attended by City Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille, a commission member, and city tourism coordinator Anedra Bourne.

Newbille could not be reached for comment Thursday. Bourne, who delivered the maps to the commission, said she was not involved in planning the Liberty Trail.

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Liberty Trail to include nod to Richmond's Slave Trail