What is lost, and what is forgotten? What is forgotten, and what is ignored? Timbuctoo was a community in New Jersey, founded by former enslaved people, who fought off slave catchers from Philly who came hunting. It made the local paper. But I learned very little about slavery in New Jersey in my education. Even “good” stories like this one, where the slavers were defeated.
Thanks so much, again, for this account, and for bringing this forgotten spot to light. (It feels forgotten to me too.) I considered writing this when I saw your post the first time around on Patreon and didn't because it's a bit dark, but since I'm getting a second chance ... your comment about cemeteries reminded me of one awful case I have seen recently in which the headstones of a DC Black cemetery were indeed scavenged. Back in the '60's in DC, a Black cemetery was to be relocated to Maryland. During this relocation, the headstones were not relocated with the graves but were instead sold to be dumped in the Potomac to shore up the banks of the river. Just a few years ago, the wife of a VA politician was walking along the banks and pointed at one and said, "isn't that a headstone?," and that got the ball rolling in terms of trying to dredge up the old headstones and bring them out to the Maryland cemetery, but of course that doesn't address all the people who thought their kin didn't have headstones, and all the people whose headstones are now missing. Anyway, I just thought of it in terms of another example of disappearing a physical manifestation of Black existence. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/headstones-black-cemetery-potomac-river/2020/10/25/3586f0d4-0d7a-11eb-8074-0e943a91bf08_story.html
Unfortunately that’s not the only time this has happened. Headstones get used to bed rivers. Any overgrown cemetery is ripe for disappearing, but these cemeteries of “lost” Black communities seem to suffer the most. I know of another one in Newfoundland, New Jersey (where The Station Agent was filmed) off the railroad tracks. Last time I visited, over ten years ago, it was tended. I’m not sure if it still is.
Great story. I love stuff like this.
Thank you! I was partly inspired by all your great writing.
Thanks, man.
Thanks so much, again, for this account, and for bringing this forgotten spot to light. (It feels forgotten to me too.) I considered writing this when I saw your post the first time around on Patreon and didn't because it's a bit dark, but since I'm getting a second chance ... your comment about cemeteries reminded me of one awful case I have seen recently in which the headstones of a DC Black cemetery were indeed scavenged. Back in the '60's in DC, a Black cemetery was to be relocated to Maryland. During this relocation, the headstones were not relocated with the graves but were instead sold to be dumped in the Potomac to shore up the banks of the river. Just a few years ago, the wife of a VA politician was walking along the banks and pointed at one and said, "isn't that a headstone?," and that got the ball rolling in terms of trying to dredge up the old headstones and bring them out to the Maryland cemetery, but of course that doesn't address all the people who thought their kin didn't have headstones, and all the people whose headstones are now missing. Anyway, I just thought of it in terms of another example of disappearing a physical manifestation of Black existence. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/headstones-black-cemetery-potomac-river/2020/10/25/3586f0d4-0d7a-11eb-8074-0e943a91bf08_story.html
Unfortunately that’s not the only time this has happened. Headstones get used to bed rivers. Any overgrown cemetery is ripe for disappearing, but these cemeteries of “lost” Black communities seem to suffer the most. I know of another one in Newfoundland, New Jersey (where The Station Agent was filmed) off the railroad tracks. Last time I visited, over ten years ago, it was tended. I’m not sure if it still is.