On April 21, 2025, the University of Richmond unveiled its new memorial on the site of a long troubled burial ground associated with African American burials. That burial ground, on the site of the former Westham plantation, predates the creation of the campus around Westhampton Lake, but the university has repeatedly and knowingly disturbed the graves over the years.
The new memorial for “The Burying Ground” features a stone wall with three composite faces and Adinkra symbols overlooking stone bench-like features on the ground, along with a water feature and a witness tree. It was designed by Burt Pinnock at Baskervill, and the installation cost nearly $4 million. It was constructed by Team Henry, the same firm that built the University of Virginia’s Memorial to Enslaved Laborers.
The memorial and its unveiling drew a great deal of positive press, including from the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Virginia Public Media. It is located at a prominent spot on campus and will likely draw a great deal of traffic.