Black Lives Matter.
Black Graves Matter, too.
Efforts to rescue African American burial grounds and remains have exposed deep conflicts over inheritance and representation Written By Jill Lepore Photography by Donavon Smallwood for The New Yorker
Concerned citizens Maya Fontenot, front, and Aanchal Thadani are asked to leave a Black History Month tribute...on the fourth anniversary of the discovery of the “Sugar Land 95” Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in Sugar Land. Written by Amber Elliott, staff writer at the Houston Chronicle Photography by Yi-Chin Lee, staff photographer
Efforts to rescue African American burial grounds and remains have exposed deep conflicts over inheritance and representation Written By Jill Lepore Photography by Donavon Smallwood for The New Yorker
What is the #StopWhiteWashingCemeteries Campaign?
CLLP launched a campaign to #StopWhiteWashingCemeteries in February 2022.
Our goals are simple.
Before building a memorial, FBISD must
Memorials are a good thing! Why are you trying to stop this one?
Memorials can be used to heal, or to harm. It’s all in the timing. Building a memorial with false history does not heal the community. Building a memorial before completing DNA testing and contacting descendants does not heal the community.
Join our campaign if you believe that FBISD should focus on telling the correct history, completing all DNA testing, and excavating all remaining land. Tell FBISD to #StopWhiteWashingCemeteries today.
For more information on CLLP, the #StopWhiteWashingCemeteries and how to get involved, see below.
Why aren't you working with Fort Bend Independent School District?
CLLP is an advocacy organization that is committed to following best practices of Black cemetery preservation. Fort Bend ISD has shown time and again that they are motivated by profit, not by best practices.
Here are two examples:
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In 2018, FBISD fought very hard to move the bodies from their final resting place, even though the whole community was against it. They didn't care about the bodies; they were motivated by profit.
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In 2019, Fort Bend County offered to take the land from FBISD and establish a proper cemetery. Instead of deeding it for $1, FBISD tried to sell it for $18 million. As one outraged community member put it, "this sale exposes [FBISD's] motivation as profit, and doing the same thing in death as was done to them in life."
Here are two examples.
It doesn't matter if you've worked on a dozen campaigns or none at all: If you think FBISD should #StopWhiteWashingCemeteries, please reach out today.
Submit this form to get involved with this campaign. Tell us how you found this site, and the best way to contact you. We'll be in touch!
