UGA Proposes Memorial Where Slaves Were Buried at Baldwin Hall

The University of Georgia will build a memorial at Baldwin Hall to the slaves whose remains were discovered buried near the building during construction in 2015.

A black-owned quarry in Oglethorpe County will donate 35,000 pounds of granite for the memorial, the university announced today. UGA Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Michelle Cook is a member of the family—the Millie Long estate in Carlton—that owns the quarry. The memorial will be built on the south side of Baldwin Hall, near Old Athens Cemetery.

“Our family is proud to contribute to this historic project, which will serve as permanent tribute to the memory of these individuals,” Cook said in a news release. “This project is particularly important to me because of my own family history in the Athens area, which dates back more than 150 years. It was an honor to work with the task force to design a memorial that will provide a tranquil, reflective place for our entire community.”

Cook chaired an 18-member task force that President Jere Morehead appointed after the university was criticized by members of the local black community for its handling of the remains.

Read more: https://flagpole.com/news/city-dope/2018/08/29/uga-proposes-memorial-where-slaves-were-buried-at-baldwin-hall