VCU to Create Memorial for People, Most of African Descent, Whose Remains Were Dumped in a Well

April 27, 2026

Virginia Commonwealth University's board of visitors has approved $3. 6 million in funding to create a memorial and burial site for at least 46 individuals, predominantly of African descent, whose bodies were stolen from graves in the 1840s-1860s for medical dissection training and later discarded in a well. The remains were discovered in 1994 during campus construction and sent to the Smithsonian for analysis, with DNA testing in February confirming their African heritage and evidence of the heavy labor these individuals endured during their lives.

Who is affected

At least 43 adults and 3 juveniles of predominantly African descent whose remains were recovered from the well
The descendants of those individuals whose bodies were stolen and desecrated
Virginia Commonwealth University and its predecessor, the Medical College of Virginia
The VCU community, including President Michael Rao
Stephen Davenport, assistant vice president leading the project administratively
The broader African American community in Richmond affected by historical grave robbing practices

What action is being taken

VCU's board of visitors voted Friday to fund the $3.6 million East Marshall Street Well Project
VCU is planning and designing a memorial and burial site featuring a circular design with a unity chamber

Why it matters

This project addresses a profound historical injustice where Black bodies were systematically stolen, exploited for medical training without consent, and discarded without dignity during the 19th century. The effort represents institutional accountability for practices that dehumanized African Americans and violated their remains, while the memorial will restore dignity to individuals who were denied respect both in life (as evidenced by skeletal signs of heavy labor) and in death. This initiative is part of a broader reckoning in medical institutions across the United States with their histories of using bodies of people of African descent for research without permission, connecting to similar efforts at institutions like the University of Pennsylvania.

What's next

Construction of the memorial and burial site is expected to start in summer of 2027.

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint