On Wednesday, shortly after 11 a.m., as a small group looked on, workers at the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers hoisted the first carved stone slab of the memorial into its place at the center of the circle. At 4,000 pounds, it is one of the heaviest of the 75 stones that will make up the walls of the “freedom ring” and an inner bench. Inscribed on this piece are some of the names of the estimated 5,000 enslaved laborers who built and worked at the University of Virginia.
This process took about one hour, but has been years in the making. It is slated to be completed in January and officially dedicated in April.
