It’s Not The First Time That VCU Disregarded Slave History

Sadly, the recent repaving of the parking lot at 15th Street is not the first time that Virginia Commonwealth University has disregarded important African American slave history. Back in the 1990’s, Richmond activists warned President Trani that it was wrong to tear down the Jacob House in order to make room for the VCU Engineering […]

August 5, 2009; 12:07 AM • by Oregon Hill

Sadly, the recent repaving of the parking lot at 15th Street is not the first time that Virginia Commonwealth University has disregarded important African American slave history.

Back in the 1990’s, Richmond activists warned President Trani that it was wrong to tear down the Jacob House in order to make room for the VCU Engineering School. So, to mute protests, he decided to have it moved across the street. There were still concerns that this would ruin the historical integrity of the site since it was considered a probable Underground Railroad site. One man, Alan Schintzius, actually got arrested when he laid in front of the bulldozer. Sure enough, a hidden basement room was discovered after the house was moved. Its gone now, filled in and buried by VCU.

You have to wonder what other Richmond history has been buried.

At least the moved Jacob House survives, for now, at the corner of Cary and Pine.