'Marker to Mary Lumpkin' (Richmond, Virginia)
Emancipation
This monument raises awareness for Mary Lumpkin, an enslaved women who inherited Lumpkin’s Slave Jail from her enslaver and “husband”, which she rented out to Rev. Colver. This former Jail was transformed into a school for newly freed individuals, and Virginia Union University was originated from this learning institution. In 2020, Mary Lumpkin was given credit for her role in letting the old slave jail to Reverend Colver, who struggled to find accommodation in Richmond. She is honoured with a drive and street sign named after her that runs through the University campus, on which one will find a stone marker outside the Baptist Memorial Building with an inscription in her honour.
Monument type:
Stone – carved
Artist:
Dedication Date:
2020-02-08
Address:
Richmond
Virginia
U.S.
Inscription:
VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY
IS GRATEFUL FOR
MARY LUMPKIN, MOTHER OF VUU
WHO LIVED 1832-1905
MRS. LUMPKIN PROVIDED SPACE AT THE FORMER
LUMPKIN’S SLAVE JAIL, KNOWN AS THE
DEVIL’S HALF ACRE, TO GIVE NEWLY EMANCIPATED
SLAVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION AND
ADVANCEMENT. THAT SPACE WAS TURNED INTO
GOD’S HALF ACRE AND BIRTHED
VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY.
Street Sign: Mary Lumpkin Drive
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Conception Date:
Opening Date:
Material:
Size:
m x m x m
Creator:
Cost / Value:
Erected by:
Virginia Union University
Funded by:
Run by:
Indigenous Land
Organization/Curator:
Data Sources:
“The Devil’s Half Acre: How one enslaved woman left her mark on education.” CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-devils-half-acre-mary-lumpkin-enslaved-woman-left-her-mark-on-education/. Accessed on 11 April 2024.
“A formerly enslaved woman helped found a key American University.” The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/05/10/formerly-enslaved-woman-helped-found-key-american-university/#. Accessed on 11 April 2024.
“Vuu surprised by $1M announcement on Founders Day.” Richmond Free Press, https://richmondfreepress.com/news/2020/feb/14/vuu-surprised-1m-announcement-founders-day/. Accessed on 11 April 2024.
“CELEBRATING THE “MOTHER OF VUU”, MRS. MARY LUMPKIN.” Unionite Express, https://www.vuu.edu/Content/Uploads/vuu.edu/images/Unionite/ltta.pdf. Accessed on 11 April 2024.
“Mary Lumpkin.” Richmond Free Press, https://richmondfreepress.com/photos/2020/feb/14/290018/. Accessed on 11 April 2024.
Read below for one of our contributor’s reflections on this monument