Ceremonial Groundbreaking for New Memorial to Enslaved Persons
Baylor University hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Memorial to Enslaved Persons on Feb. 23, 2024 at Founders Mall.
Baylor aims to take the next steps towards a brighter future through “reckoning, repentance, reconciliation and redemption” to further understand the history of Baylor, focusing on the truth of early leaders’ past regarding slaveholding.
This addition to Founders Mall is inspired by the original Baylor campus in Independence, Texas, which was built at least in part by enslaved people. The limestone monument, resembling where Baylor began, will create a captivating environment in which people can learn, understand, and process Baylor’s history.
The stone on the outer ring of the monument is strategically placed to represent “both the unknown enslaved and gaps in Baylor’s history.” The outer ring will also include a water feature for people to engage and reflect on the past. The inner ring of the monument will feature a map of Washington and McLennon counties, displaying the population density, in 1860.
Baylor invited visitors, faculty, and students to view and engage with the new monument by scanning QR codes and viewing engravings to learn more about the meaning behind the monument. Baylor has incorporated additional history on campus with the statues of the first Black graduates of Baylor, Rev. Robert Gilbert and Mrs. Barbara Walker, located in front of the Tidwell Bible Building.