WHEREAS, on September 18, 2017, the Fredericksburg Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) issued a position statement finding the slave auction block at the corner of William and Charles Streets in downtown Fredericksburg to be a narrow and negative representation of the history of African Americans in and of Fredericksburg.
WHEREAS, on June 11, 2019, City Council voted 6-1 to move the slave auction block to the Fredericksburg Area Museum, and on November 12, 2019, City Council voted 6-1 to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for the move.
WHEREAS, the Fredericksburg Branch of the NAACP supports such actions of City Council to move the slave auction block to the Fredericksburg Area Museum.
WHEREAS, on December 10, 2019, a lawsuit was filed against City Council (Fredericksburg Circuit Court Case No. CL 19-951). The Lawsuit seeks to prevent the City from moving the slave auction block to the Fredericksburg Area Museum.
WHEREAS, the Lawsuit was filed by two Petitioners. One Petitioner is Local Holdings, L.L.C., the business owner of the “Olde Towne Butcher” and “The Butcher’s Table” located on the same corner as the slave auction block. The other Petitioner is E.D. Cole Building, L.L.C., the owner/landlord of the building across the street at 402 William Street. Of note, however: Kybecca Restaurant, the tenant at 402 William Street, is not a party to the Lawsuit.
WHEREAS, the Fredericksburg Branch of the NAACP finds the Lawsuit to be ill-conceived, short-sighted, and contrary to legitimate interests of the NAACP and the citizens of the City of Fredericksburg; and, moreover, finds it offensive that Petitioners seek to profit from the vestiges of slavery.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Fredericksburg Branch of the NAACP encourages all NAACP members to refrain from doing business with the “Olde Towne Butcher” and “The Butcher’s Table”.