'This entire section of track became a graveyard.' Construction of a North Carolina railroad left at least 139 convict laborers dead in the late 1800s. A new group looks to memorialize the perished workers.
OLD FORT, N.C. – As the two locomotives tug dozens of rail cars up the mountain through the town's famous section of track called"the Loops," there is no indication the train isWhen the state of North Carolina and the Norfolk Southern railroad company were constructing the line up and over Old Fort Mountain in the late 1870s, they used thousands of African American convict laborers.
Last fall, RAIL dedicated a memorial at Andrews Geyser recognizing the 3,000-plus African American men and several hundred African American women, nearly all of them prisoners and former slaves, who built the railroad. The railroad construction, which included seven mountain tunnels, spanned 1875-1879.
"We were elated that we had been able to possibly identify burial sites so that we can eventually honor the memory of those interred there," Pierce wrote."We were also saddened to confirm that the railroad line between Henry Station and Ridgecrest is, indeed, a mass grave." A May 9, 1878, Asheville Citizen article reported the supply of convicts working on the railroad was "not sufficient."
While she called the"mass grave" assessment"heart-wrenching," Swepson-Twitty said it's also important to recognize the area as"hallowed grounds," akin to Arlington National Cemetery. While the convicts were not technically enslaved, they were legally forced to work with no rights. As Pierce says,"It's the whole 13th Amendment thing.""Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction," the amendment reads.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Former North Carolina police chief accused of faking suicideAn ex-police chief being an accused of faking his own suicide to avoid prosecution has been arrested.
Weiterlesen »
A former North Carolina police chief accused of faking his suicide to avoid prosecution was found and arrested in South CarolinaAn Ex-North Carolina police chief accused of faking his suicide was found and arrested in Horry County, South Carolina, the agency said on Facebook.
Weiterlesen »
Russian military convoy north of Kyiv stretches for 40 miles -MaxarSatellite images taken on Monday show a Russian military convoy north of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv that stretches for about 40 miles (64 km), substantially longer than the 17 miles (27 km) reported earlier in the day, a U.S. private company said.
Weiterlesen »
North Korea blames Ukraine crisis on 'hegemonic high-handedness' of U.S.North Korea broke its silence on Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Monday, blaming the 'hegemonic policy' and 'high-handedness' of the United States and the West.
Weiterlesen »
San Antonio police investigating deadly shooting on North SideSan Antonio police are investigating a woman’s death after a reported shooting on the North Side.
Weiterlesen »
River North shooting: Shots fired outside Red Line station after teen fatally shotShots were fired outside the CTA Grand Red Line station in River North for the 2nd time in several hours Monday, and a man was hit with a gun.
Weiterlesen »