Stagville
Descendants: Are We Just Modern Day Share Croppers
(Durham, NC)
For Immediate Release
The Stagville Descendant
Council (SDC) a member organization of African-American descendants of the Stagville Plantation announced in April 2007 that
the Stagville Descendants Council was no longer welcome to participate as a co-partner in the Historic Sites Inaugural Stagville
Juneteenth Celebration.
The disengagement came in the form of a letter, written
by Mrs. Jennifer Farley (the Stagville Historic Site Manager) April 11, 2007 with the consent of Historic Stagville Foundation
Board and addressed to the letter to The Stagville Society founder Mr. Ricky L. Hart and Stagville Descendants Council President
Mrs. Charlene Justice-Bass. Jennifer Farley, indicated the severing was due to “incompatible visions and further collaboration
with SDC would undermine the objective (of the celebration and the site)”
In
keeping with the respect and honor of our descendants, the Stagville Society and Stagville Descendants Council have been working
closely for the last several months to produce the Inaugural Stagville Juneteenth Celebration that would be unique, in that
it would have taken place on one of the largest plantations in the North Carolina, Virginia area.
The
letter came after the site manager’s absence at many schedule planning meetings, and no indication of discord at the
planning sessions. Mr. Ricky L. Hart stated: “The Historic Stagville Foundation and Stagville Historic Site underhandedly
and maliciously discharged the SDC participation after the SDC had completed a professional program and logistic plan.”
On April 19th
2007 at Stagville Historic Site there was a meeting attended by the boards of Historic Stagville Foundation (HSF), Stagville
Historic Site (SHS) and SDC. During the meeting a Historic Stagville Foundation board member informed Stagville Descendants
Council President that “Stagville Descendants Council was never a partner in the planning of the Inaugural Stagville
Juneteenth Celebration, only an advisory committee”. The Stagville Descendant Council President Mrs. Charlene
Justice-Bass inquired to that board member for a clarification regarding that statement because the Historic Stagville Foundations
(newly created program) planned program for the Inaugural Stagville Juneteenth Celebration is the exact replica (created by
the SDC staff) of the work that the SDC has done over the pass several months.
After being exposed for their pilfering and foulness, and realizing that the public
and SDC members would take offence, The Historic Stagville Foundation offered to provide SDC permission to use the
Stagville Historic Site in support of another event and stated “we’re not going to just cut you a check”.
Mr. Hart stated, “The
time and energy put into this Inaugural Stagville Juneteenth Celebration was ignored by the Historic Stagville Foundation
as to the many hours of dedication, artistic talent and business expertise on planning this event. Juneteenth Celebration
is about the celebration of slave emancipation from physical bondage, but today we note that the experience of mental bondage
is still in effect.”
Stagville
Descendants President Charlene Justice-Bass stated “The SDC and Stagville Society have been working on this event for
months in hopes of sparking awareness in North Carolina and around the country about the significance of the plantation and
the contribution of its people from there”. With the recent apology for slavery from North Carolina and Virginia
this was an unfortunate event. Instead of doing the right thing, they used us, but even though that door closed, another door
opens. The Stagville Descendant Council and the Stagville Society in spite of this experience again created, planned and will
implement a Descendants Reunion. The Pastor and Deacon Board of Cameron Grove Baptist Church opened its doors to the Stagville
Descendants Council and invited them to have there Descendants Reunion at the Church. The Descendants Council accepted graciously.
The program will include a worship service, gospel program, Stagville Descendants Council and Stagville Society history. There
will be a fellowship reception afterwards.
The Descendants Reunion is open
to the public and will be held on June 24th, 2007 from 11am-1pm at Cameron Grove Baptist Church 816 Berwyn Ave,
Durham, North Carolina.
For more information please contact:
