What is the Red Hill Descendants Group and Why is it Being Formed?
- The PHMF Board is committed to furthering the Foundation’s mission to illuminate the complete story of Red Hill. To that end, the Board is extending the Foundation’s work in researching and documenting the lives of African Americans at Red Hill, including the enslaved, their descendants, and others who lived and worked there.
- In 2018, the Foundation re-acquired 77 acres of adjoining land that was originally part of Red Hill. The area, known as Quarter Place, includes the Quarter Place cemetery which was used by Red Hill’s African American community as the burial ground for people enslaved at Red Hill, their ancestors, and family members buried after them. The cemetery was still used at least until the late 1920’s and 147 graves have been identified, but only one is marked.
- The Quarter Place cemetery is an important contribution which allows the Foundation to further explore, understand, document, and recognize the rich and varied communities that lived and worked together and are all part of the history of Red Hill and the nation’s founding.
To date, 55 names of individuals buried at the Quarter Place Cemetery are known and a sizable number of descendants of the people who were enslaved, buried, or worked at Red Hill up until the early 20th century have been identified. Their stories add to a richer understanding of the history of Red Hill and the Foundation looks to reconnect these descendants more formally to their ancestors and to Red Hill.
- To that end, the Foundation Board intends to recognize a new affiliate group called The Red Hill Descendants Group (RHDG) that will offer the opportunity for fellowship and interaction among the African American and indigenous people with familial and historical ties to Red Hill.
- The RHDG will be separate and distinct from the Patrick Henry Descendants Branch (PHDB), whose membership requires a direct genealogical connection to Patrick Henry. The RHDG will set up its own governance structure and membership criteria. Although separate organizations, the Foundation encourages the groups to coordinate and collaborate as they believe appropriate.
- While the Foundation acknowledges the independence of affiliate organizations, each must operate consistent with the Foundation’s mission and other governing documents.
Next Steps:
- Develop a database of known descendants based on historical and genealogical information.
- Solicit feedback on RHDG mission and organizational structure from stakeholders and interest groups, including, but not limited to, known descendants of Quarter Place families, Red Hill staff, PHDG members, and local African American communities.
- While the RHDG will decide on its mission and structure, the Foundation envisions a forum for members to engage in the exchange of historical and genealogical information both for the group and the larger Red Hill community to explore, document and preserve the history of the African American and indigenous people of Red Hill.
The Foundation Board sees this project as a natural extension of its work to date identifying and illuminating the lives of all who lived at Red Hill, consistent with the Foundation’s express mission to deliver the whole story of Red Hill.
Reach out to us by email at info_RHDG@redhill.org
