Speakers urge restoration of Court Square auction block marker as council proclaims Eddie Harris’s legacy

At Tuesday’s Charlottesville City Council meeting, multiple adult public commenters pressed the city to restore a marker identifying the traditional site of enslavement and the auction block in Court Square and to correct what they called a ‘historical erasure.’

Colonel Robert Jess III, speaking for the Court Square Enslaved Memorial Group, said the group had consulted descendants and sought NAACP backing and urged the council not to delay another year or two: “Please do not delay another year or 2,” he said, urging more rapid action to humanize and restore wording for the marker. Dr. Paul Mack and other speakers provided historical documentation and photographs and urged the council to authorize replacement language that recognizes enslaved people’s humanity and contributions.

The public comment period also included tributes to Edward “Eddie” Douglas Harris, who died Dec. 28, 2025. Mayor Juan Diego Wade read a proclamation honoring Harris’s life and civic contributions — citing his founding of Vinegar Hill Magazine, leadership on fatherhood programs such as Real Dads, and community mentorship — and invited family members to accept the city’s recognition. A family member thanked the council briefly for the honor.

Councilors acknowledged receipt of the public appeals and said staff would review the legal authority and next steps regarding formal historic markers and signage. Several members urged the city to consult descendant communities and the HRC’s (Historic Resources Commission) recommendations and to bring back options that clarify what the city can do administratively.

Next steps: staff indicated they will assess what the city has legal authority to do with respect to signage and will report back; public speakers asked the council to expedite action so the marker is restored with language that centers descendant input.