Fort Bend ISD will host two virtual information events for the Sugar Land 95 Memorial Project on Sept. 9, district officials announced in a Sept. 7 news release.
In a nutshell
District officials invite community members, families and friends of the Sugar Land 95 to hear updates on the project’s cemetery markers design, according to the news release.
The district will host one virtual morning session from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and one virtual evening session from 6-7:30 p.m to accommodate community participation.
The details
Chief communication officer Chassidy Olainu-Alade said the information sessions will include:
- Introductions, led by FBISD
- A presentation by the Principal Research Group with updates on the DNA work and how it might impact this process
- A presentation by MASS Design Group about the project design
- A community discussion on how the markers can honor all 95 individuals given the community might never know the full identities of all 95 people.
- Next steps for MASS, FBISD and the border project schedule
Guests can also share their own input in preserving the site's history, per the release.
The backstory
In 2018, a cemetery with the remains of 95 people was found when constructing Fort Bend ISD’s James Reese Career and Technical Center, Community Impact previously reported.
The 95 people found, now dubbed the Sugar Land 95, are believed to have been people who died working in a convict labor camp in the late 19th century, per FBISD’s website.
Since finding the cemetery, the district has worked with other groups to identify the bodies and track down families to preserve their stories and educate the public and the district’s students about its history, Community Impact previously reported.
