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SEQUENCE:18814016
CREATED:20120714T143400Z
DESCRIPTION:Working Draft IV ~ Proposed Resolution \nNegro Hill Cemetery \nEl Dorado 
 County, California \n\nWhereas, Negro Hill, California was established in 
 1848, by people of African descent who migrated from the States of 
 Virginia, Massachusetts, Georgia, North Carolina and from many other places 
 yet to be discovered through primary source documentation of governmental 
 archives, private insurance records, ship manifests, genealogy records and 
 oral traditions, and \n\nAnd Whereas, high above the confluence of the 
 North Fork and South Fork of American River, “a peninsula of granite and 
 quartz infused with gold” they created a community destined to become one 
 of the largest towns of the American River Gold Mining District, site of 
 home of the California Gold Rush. Negro Hill, California bagan as a 
 welcoming community of all races, ethnicities and religions yearning for a 
 greater measure of freedom, and \n\nWhereas, the Civil Usage House, Negro 
 Hill Town Hall, served as a regional center to discuss civic 
 responsibility, community service and racial justice. Negro Hill Methodist 
 Church and Negro Hill Public School attracted multiethnic members and 
 students that challenged the racial prejudice of the day, and \n\nWhereas, 
 Negro Hill, California was an early home to a young Leland Stanford, 
 Stanford University and a young Charles Crocker, Central Pacific Railroad 
 and home to one of the largest China towns in early California History.  In 
 1856, the community of Mormon Island suffered a catastrophic fire, and many 
 residents who were terrorized crossed over Shaw Bridge on the South Fork of 
 the American River and were welcomed into the surrounding Negro Hill 
 community, and \n\nWhereas, January 1, 1863, during the U.S. Civil War, the 
  Emancipation Proclamation was signed by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln 
 expanding the quest for freedom for people in the region of Negro Hill, 
 then part of Placer County.  Later in 1863, Negro Hill, CA was annexed by 
 El Dorado County under the guideance of then Governor Leland Stanford.  By 
 the end of the California Gold Rush Era the natural flora and fauna of the 
 American River Basin suffered environmental and social degregation from 
 rogue commercial gold mining operations. The Negro Hill Ditch Company 
 helped provide a year round pristine water source, an interconnected 
 conveyance system that successful brought the regional pioneer agriculture 
 communities together; elements of that public works project are still 
 operational today, and \n\nWhereas, the Flood Control Act of 1944 provided 
 authorization for Folsom Reservoir on the American River to provide for 
 public safety to the regional community. The planning and construction of 
 Folsom Dam began after the close of World War II with a plethora of 
 national, state and local government agencies supporting small, medium and 
 large private contractors to build Folsom Dam and Reservoir, and 
 \n\nWhereas, many Gold Rush Era cemeteries and individual graves were 
 reinterred at Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery in 1954, including 36 found 
 at Negro Hill Cemetery. The incorrect foul and racist historic description 
 replaced the correct name of Negro Hill Cemetery and today egregious human 
 and civil rights violations continue to distort and defame the legacy of 
 people of African ancestry in Gold Rush California, and \n\nWhereas, May 
 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accepted responsibility and released 
 volumes of original records from 1951 to 1961 showing the incorrect name 
 this 50th Anniversary of the notarized transfer of title from the Secretary 
 of the Army to the Chair of the County of El Dorado Board of Supervisors, 
 May 1961, the original records have save been removed from public access in 
 July 2012 and \n\nWhereas, in 1998, El Dorado County Cemetery Commission 
 led by Sue Silver attempted to change the grave markers and was not given 
 authority to do so by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors. Chuck 
 Caines and George Chan, Jr. first brought knowledge of the 36 grave markers 
 to the community of African Americans. The Negro Hill Burial Ground Project 
 was established and has built a national network of "united nations" 
 volunteers and professionals consultants seeking a positive resolution that 
 ensures “Dignity and Respect” for all early California Pioneers and 
 especially those of African descent, today referred to as "Niggers" while 
 preserving authentic history of Negro Hill, California for future 
 generations, and \n\nWhereas, on April 26, 2011, members of the Stockton 
 Black Leadership Council, Stockton NAACP, Church of God in Christ, and Wose 
 Community Church through the Negro Hill Burial Ground Project were denied 
 the opportunity to make a full presentation before the El Dorado County 
 Board of Supervisors yet spoke briefly during “information open forum.” 
 The Board chair and a majority of the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors 
 members acknowledge no cognition to the very existence of the 36 grave 
 markers that read, Unknown, Moved by Nigger Hill Cemetery by the U.S. 
 Government in 1954, and \n\nWhereas, the Negro Hill Burial Ground Project 
 and many international sponaors and supporters, during the United Nations 
 International Year for People of African Descent, initiated the effort to 
 install, correct and provide 36 pillowed, highly polished granite grave 
 markers, installed by cemetery industry professionals on or near July 4, 
 2011 and cooperatively expand our working stakeholder group to erect a 
 suitable monument with agreeable language through mediated consensus 
 process by the U.S. Department of Justice. Together, we will host an 
 international celebration, lead by our Native Miwok elders as part of our 
 sacred African ceremony for the souls of our ancestors, including full 
 United States Military Honor inviting the Interior Secretary, Education 
 Secretary, Agriculture Secretary, Secretary of the Army and the President 
 of the United States of America, and \n\nWhereas, the Negro Hill Burial 
 Ground Project, public and private stakeholder were excluded from the 
 October 2011 El Dorado County efforts to source, fund and communicate civic 
 responsibility to help bring forth “Dignity and Respect” for all 
 California Pioneers and especially those of African descent, in a way that 
 can bring closure and begin a new way forward, healing the hurt and 
 injured, at no cost to El Dorado County, the State of California or the 
 United States of America, and \n\nBe it resolved, on the the first Saturday 
 in October be set aside as Negro Hill Memorial Day, honoring the legacyo of 
 the California Gold Rush Pioneers that established the region of Negro 
 Hill, California.  We enact this resolution on behalf of the citizens of 
 the Great State of California and the United States of America. \n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/07/14/18717489.php
SUMMARY:Negro Hill National Monument ~ Press Conference
LOCATION:Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery\nGreen Valley Road and Shadowfax Lane
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/07/14/18717489.php
DTSTART:20120718T190000Z
DTEND:20120718T200000Z
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