A onetime site of slave sales in Fredericksburg has provoked a fierce debate. This is not a monument,it’s a piece of history but should it be removed from view?Walking along the idyllic brick sidewalks of downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, and locals and tourists who pass the Olde Towne Butcher on the corner of William St and Charles St might notice a grayish-brown stone protruding from the sidewalk that is about the size and shape of an overturned bucket. A bronze marker at its base reveals that this stone was previously used to auction off slaves.
Locals and city officials refer to it colloquially as “the slave block” or “the auction block”. Most peoples’ reaction upon learning of the block’s past is horror. Now,particularly in the wake of the recent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, the community is trying to choose what to do with it. Related: 'The civil war lies on us like a sleeping dragon': America's deadly divide - and why it has returned Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com