Baldwin Hall Memorial (Athens, Georgia)

Baldwin Hall Memorial (Athens, Georgia)

Subject (Topic)
Cemeteries--Georgia
Enslaved persons
Slavery--Georgia
University of Georgia

Subject (Object)
Commemorative sculpture

The Baldwin Hall Memorial at the University of Georgia in Athens includes "a circular form for the memorial plaza, creating a focal point that will serve as a place of contemplation to honor and respect these individuals; an elevated fountain in the center of the memorial plaza; a granite marker, purposefully designed with elements similar to a marker at Oconee Hill Cemetery, which includes text about the memorial; two granite benches facing the granite marker; and vertical elements that will create a sense of ascension and will provide visibility from the street. . . . The remains of the individuals were first discovered during construction of an addition to Baldwin Hall in November 2015. They were reinterred at Oconee Hill Cemetery in March 2017, in accordance with guidance from the State Archaeologist’s Office. The university also held a memorial service at Oconee Hill Cemetery to commemorate their lives, and a granite marker was placed at the gravesite. Acknowledgment in the form of a plaque also was placed inside the new entrance of the Baldwin Hall addition.” –University of Georgia, https://news.uga.edu/memorial-dedicated-baldwin-hall/

Baldwin Hall Memorial Advisory Task Force

Photograph: Carsen Christy, Medium

November 16, 2018

Millie Long Estate Quarry (granite); Baldwin Hall Memorial Advisory Task Force: Alicia Battle, Director for Workforce Development at Goodwill of North Georgia and Chair of the Clarke County Mentor Program; Dawn Bennett-Alexander, Associate Professor of Employment Law and Legal Studies; Paige Carmichael, Professor of Veterinary Pathology; Michelle Cook, Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Strategic University Initiatives (Chair); Gwynne Darden (Ex Officio), Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning; Dexter Fisher, Director of Services in the Facilities Management Division; Ammishaddai Grand-Jean, President of the Student Government Association; Mike Hamby, Athens-Clarke County Commissioner for the 10th District; Lawrence Harris, Director of the Athens Community Career Academy with the Clarke County School District; Kathy Hoard, Former Clarke County Commissioner; Meredith Gurley Johnson, Executive Director of the UGA Alumni Association; The Honorable Steve Jones, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Georgia; The Rev. Benjamin Lett, Pastor of the Hill Chapel Baptist Church; Charlie Maddox, Athens Rotary Club President and Member of the Athens Housing Authority Board of Commissioners; Alison McCullick, UGA Director of Community Relations; Arthur Tripp, Assistant to the President of UGA; Victor Wilson, Vice President for Student Affairs; and Henry Young, Kroger Associate Professor of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy and President of the Black Faculty and Staff Organization.

University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, United States

JPEG

English

Visual Arts-Sculpture

Baldwin Hall, University of Georgia, 355 S Jackson Street, Athens, Georgia, 30602, United States

Granite memorial block:
In memory of the unknown individuals interred in this area during the 19th century, on land that was part of the Old Athens Cemetery. In 2015 remains were discovered during the construction of the Baldwin Hall addition. The vast Majority of the remains identified were those of men, women, and children of African descent, most likely slaves or former slaves. Upon guidance of the State of Georgia, they were reinterred at the Oconee Hill Cemetery.

The University recognizes the contributions of these and other enslaved individuals and honors their legacy.

May they continue to rest in peace.

Granite

“UGA Finalizes Baldwin Hall Memorial.” UGA Today, August 21, 2018. Accessed March 4, 2026. https://news.uga.edu/uga-finalizes-baldwin-hall-memorial/.

“Memorial Dedicated at Baldwin Hall.” UGA Today, November 16, 2018. Accessed March 4, 2026. https://news.uga.edu/memorial-dedicated-baldwin-hall/.

Grady Newsource. “UGA Student Government Approves Resolution to Honor Enslaved Peoples at Chapel Bell.” March 25, 2019. Accessed March 4, 2026. https://gradynewsource.uga.edu/uga-student-government-approves-resolution-to-honor-enslaved-peoples-at-chapel-bell/.

“The Baldwin Hall Controversy.” UGA & Slavery. Accessed March 4, 2026. https://slavery.ehistory.org/baldwin-hall.

Carsen, Christy. “The Bones Beneath UGA Baldwin Hall: A Controversy Still Ongoing Eight Years Later.” Medium, October 19, 2023. Accessed March 4, 2026. https://medium.com/@carsen.christy/the-bones-beneath-uga-baldwin-hall-a-controversy-still-ongoing-eight-years-later-ae6eeaea6936.

University of Virginia. "Universities Studying Slavery." President's Commission on Slavery and the University. https://slavery.virginia.edu/universities-studying-slavery/.

Wilder, Craig Steven. Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America's Universities. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.

Renée Ater

Sculpture