The remains of these 95 men and women were discovered in 2018 during construction at Fort Bend ISD’s James Reese Career and Technical Center, Community Impact previously reported
In June, the site received a Texas Historical Marker.
The background
In 2023, a group of four then-sophomores and now rising seniors who specialize in project direction, 3D modeling and programming saw FBISD’s initiative to memorialize the history of the Sugar Land 95 and wanted to get involved after learning about the individuals during a Texas history class, said Ahnaf Yasin, the project's 3D director.
“We spent just one day learning about the convict leasing system, and some of us were just wondering why we didn't spend more time on it,” Yasin said. “ We were really disappointed about the lack of attention it got because it’s a really important part of Sugar Land's history.”
The details
The students approached FBISD—which they said has been supportive of their work—with the idea of creating a virtual exhibit to document the information and history of Sugar Land in an accessible and interactive way, project director and lead programmer Aaditya Puttagunta said.
“[FBISD has] been really instrumental in letting us explore our creative vision and have let us build our project the way we see fit without any restrictions or deadlines,” Puttagunta said.
The team said FBISD has given them access to private research, other resources to help them do the best job possible and the district's historical preservation budget, though they have not had to use it yet.
With the backing of FBISD and countless hours of research and dedication, the team has put together a website and 3D exhibit.
While not completed, the 3D exhibit currently consists of two scenes: a re-creation of the James Reese Career and Technical Center and a re-creation of Sugar Land in the late 1800s, 3D modeler Rayyan Siddiqui said. Visitors will be able to walk through the virtual reconstructions from the comfort of their home.
They plan on building more scenes, including the sugar canes where the incarcerated were forced to work.
Going forward
As the team continues developing their website and exhibit, Yasin and communications lead Kaiser Lee said the team plans to visit area middle schools to help teach students about the Sugar Land 95, something they felt was missing from their own education.
“We want to make sure that this part of Texas history isn't lost,” Lee said. “We want to make sure that we actually go into depth instead of just having one day talking about the past. We want to make sure that the students actually understand why this is important.”
