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Revitalizing Savannah’s Westside: The Weeping Time Coalition’s Efforts

The bronze plaque commemorating The Weeping Time, a significant historical site in Savannah.

News Summary

The Weeping Time Coalition is working to enhance tourism and awareness of Savannah’s Westside, historically significant for its ties to slavery. The coalition advocates for the creation of a Black History Trail and aims to preserve sites like The Weeping Time, the location of the largest documented slave auction in U.S. history. With recent legislative support, community events, and urgent preservation discussions, the coalition strives to honor and educate about this complex history.

Savannah has long faced criticism for missing opportunities to enhance tourism on the city’s Westside, a historically significant area that relates directly to the impact of slavery in the United States. The Weeping Time Coalition is working to improve this situation by focusing on the site of The Weeping Time, which holds the grim distinction of being the location of the largest documented slave auction in U.S. history. This auction occurred in 1859 at a race track that later transitioned into a lumber yard, resulting in the sale of 436 enslaved individuals.

The term “Weeping Time” is used by historians to convey the profound sorrow associated with the auction, which took place on a day marked by torrential rain—an event that has been etched into the collective memory. Despite the historical significance of the actual site, current commemorations are limited; a bronze plaque erected by the Georgia Historical Society is located in a small triangular area along Augusta Avenue, approximately a quarter-mile from where the auction originally took place.

The Weeping Time Coalition seeks to remedy this oversight by advocating for the creation of a Black History Trail in Savannah, which would consolidate important sites connected to Black history throughout the region. In 2024, the Georgia state legislature furthered this mission by passing a statute known as GA HB 1425, which established the Weeping Time Cultural Heritage Corridor Authority tasked with promoting and managing educational activities related to this significant history. The coalition is led by Rev. Leonard Small, who serves as the Vice-President and is now in charge of the newly formed commission overseeing the corridor’s development.

In recent months, the Weeping Time Coalition has organized several satellite events in collaboration with local communities, including the Solomon Temple Church of God in Christ and educational leader Dr. Kwesi DeGraft-Hanson, to raise awareness about the importance of the site and to commemorate its legacy. They were also involved in key community events such as the unveiling of the Harriet Tubman Center, which further advanced Savannah’s recognition of its complex Black history.

The urgency surrounding the preservation of this historical site has intensified following the 2023 arson of the Huston House located on Butler Island, an area historically linked to The Weeping Time. This incident has sparked conversations about the necessity of maintaining historical sites related to slavery, reflecting the community’s growing concern for the preservation of its heritage.

At the same time, discussions with local government officials about the future of the land where the slave auction took place have become increasingly critical. Potential development plans, including proposals for a homeless shelter on the historical site, have ignited legal debates regarding the significance and value of the land. Community leaders are asserting a strong need for collaborative efforts to reclaim and honor the narrative of the Westside’s history, particularly in light of the traumas experienced due to previous urban development and long-standing neglect.

This revitalized emphasis on recognizing historical narratives associated with The Weeping Time not only aims to bring awareness but also signifies an attempt to rectify the overlooked heritage of Savannah’s Westside. By rallying support for educational initiatives and outlining plans for future development that honor this sensitive history, the Weeping Time Coalition and its partners hope to create a sustainable framework that celebrates and memorializes the experience of those who lived through this tragic chapter in American history.