Freedom Fortress

Tucked in the unforgotten plethora of stories untold, the fort which slaves made an exodus to became a beacon of freedom. This fort for resettlement was one of the richest aspects of African-American culture that transcribed a place for slaves and seceded from the Union in a city once known as Black Hampton, Virginia.

As I walked the fort, I listened to the whispers of souls through the visual effects of the buildings. I was guided by African-American history that spilled out in droves over this fort and found myself engulfed by the rich history and beauty of Battery Church 232.

As a child, I spent countless hours in a small Baptist church learning the traditions and culture of gospel singing. While standing at attention in front of this degradated building, I found myself consumed by the Negro spirituals that succeeded through the walls of this building. It allowed me to reflect upon my childhood when we were instructed to sing the infamous Dixie Land song: " Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton, old times there are not forgotten, look away, look away, look away Dixie Land. Oh I wish I was in Dixie! Hooray! Hooray! In Dixie Land, I'll take my stand to live and die in Dixie."

As I tried to capture the image of Battery 232, I felt a volcano of anger approaching my consciousness. I visualized the inhumane treatment of the slaves and how they were physically abused, denied food, and cheated out of the wages for their Union jobs by their supposed protectors, and though many of them may not have realized it at the time, they were excluded from the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, which was directed at slaves in rebel-held territory. Technically, they remained the property of the Union until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865.

I stood there in awe but allowed myself to go back to the past in order that I may move forward to create an image that would allow my photography to be a vivid spoken word. Even though this military base is scheduled to close next year the artifacts located here will last a life time. Having an opportunity to be in the midst of history, I immediately increased my appreciation for African-American history, the contribution of slaves, Veterans, and all those who took part of the Civil War.