Virginia Tomorrow

There have been several news inquiries relative to the U.S. National Slavery Museum located in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

There has been no contact of any kind from anyone officially representing the City of Richmond to which I was called upon to respond; not have I had any discussions with anyone relative to any other location for the museum other than where it is officially located.

The Museum Board is committed to its stated and moral obligations to the Fredericksburg community and its legal representatives.

We have over thirty nine beautiful acres in Fredericksburg, a much appreciated gift from the Silver Company. Our architects, engineers, planners and contractors have brought us to the point of the eventual construction of the first phases, to accompany the Freedom Garden there on display. The only thing that delays us is the next funding.  

The economic conditions in our national not only have had the effect of job losses, mortgage foreclosures, and other financial problems, the likes of which we have not seen in over seventy years. This puts a damper and almost a clamp on charitable donations.

Parenthetically, I think I know a little something about the City of Richmond’s finances. Since I left office, the city has already given retroactive raises to its employees and presently contemplates giving cost of living adjustments to its retirees. They have promised real estate relief to property owners.

With revenues expected to be less than contemplated, it should seem unimaginable that the City would consider public dollars for any museum at this time, not would the Board ask them to do so.

These are serious times and the need for strict and measured sobriety has never been more warranted than at this present time. There has been no need for the Museum to comment on rumors and innuendo and certainly no need now.

My remarks today on behalf of the Museum is merely to show why we have not furthered this speculation which is based solely on surmise and conjecture.

L. Douglas Wilder is the former Governor of Virginia and the former Mayor of the City of Richmond. He is currently Distinguished Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.