Prior to commenting on my particular experience in Richmond, I would like to take this opportunity to all of those who made this trip happen. I can honestly say that it is a memory of my sophomore year that I will keep close at heart.
On the first day we visited a slave trail. The reason behind this recognized site is not because of the number of slaves in Richmond, but the number of slaves that were sold. Our tour guide named Ralph was deeply enthusiastic and passionate about slavery, which I felt added a lot of power to the tour. I was aware that when slaves were transported they were chained together on the bottom of the deck and forced to remain in those quarters for up to 3 months at a time. They were not to use a bathroom and had to expel their feces where they were stationed. This thought was replanted in my mind as Ralph mentioned their grueling journey just to reach Richmond. I could not imagine not seeing sunlight, being trapped underneath a ship with a horrid stench and dying bodies around me--that was only the beginning.
Once the slaves got to Richmond, the 2/3rds that lived were to be fed and cleaned up in order to be presentable when sold. I was unaware that the punishment that these slaves received was so sneaky. Slaves in Richmond, as opposed to ones in Africa for example, were not whipped. The reason behind this was because when they went up to be sold, they needed to remove their shirts and appear in good condition to be sold at maximum value. Therefore, when being punished, slaves were to drop their trousers and were beaten with a wooden paddle with holes in it until their bottoms blistered. Then they were beaten until all of the blisters popped, and were rubbed down with salt water. This thought still makes my stomach churn.
As we moved away from the trail and on to see Lumpkin's Jail where the slaves were kept, the whole picture came together in my mind. The land was solely outlined in rocks of what had once been this jail, but visuals had been recreated to display what it had looked like. I could not believe that the parking lot we were standing on had once been filled with such injustice.
On the second day, we visited the University of Richmond and met with some of the Bonner Scholars from their program. I was surprised to find out that their school was one of the largest Bonner schools in America with 100 members. We spent the morning getting to know these students and about their particular service projects. It was such an amazing feeling to recognize the connection that I had with these three individuals because of service.
Lastly, we visited the Civil War Museum. On our tour, we learned a lot about the architectural makeup of Richmond during the Civil War and got to see a collection of pictures, quotations, video clips, war props, and many more incredible items which all told the story of our Civil War. This is a memory that I will never forget.
In sum, the trip was awesome. I reconnected with staff members and classmates that I had lost touch with, learned new information about my country's history and the Civil War, and got to interact with students that were changing the world just as we are at TCNJ. I am so grateful for this experience--it will stay with me far past the close of my Bonner career.
Ashley Covello (:
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