- Fort Bend ISD
- The Discovery of the Sugar Land 95
Timeline of Sugar Land Events and Frequently Asked Questions
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October 2017
- Construction of the James Reese Career and Technical Center begins. During site prepartion, Texas Historical Commission (THC) contacts FBISD and District retains full-time archaeologist, Goshawk Engineering Consultants, to search for potential archaelogical artifacts.
February 2018
- Remains found by a contractor, further analysis confirms they are human.
March/April 2018
- Under guidance of THC, archaeologists conduct perimeter search, discover several interments at site.
April 2018
- Fort Bend ISD and THC announce discovery of historic cemetery, exploratory work continues. Over next months, perimeter of historic cemetery is established. Construction continues in areas not affected by archaeological work.
- Fort Bend ISD and Texas Historical Commission announce discovery of historic cemetery at FBISD Construction Site
- Update to Fort Bend ISD’s historic find on construction site
June 2018
- 434th District Court grants permission to exhume human remains for purposes of further historic investigation.
- Fort Bend ISD granted petition to exhume remains found at historic cemetery to enable further investigation and analysis
July 2018
- Fort Bend ISD, THC, and Goshawk team speak to members of the media about ongoing exhumation and forensic analysis.
- Fort Bend ISD CTE students tour property and speak to archaeologists about land use history and forensic analysis underway.
- Fort Bend ISD and City of Sugar Land enter into Memorandum of Understanding, agreeing to cooperate for future reinterment at city-owned and operated cemetery, the Imperial Prison Farm
- Archaeologists provide update on historic Cemetery found at Fort Bend ISD’s James Reese Career and Technical Center site
August 2018
- City of Sugar Land establishes task force on Convict Leasing and Labor to ensure remains of Sugar Land 95 are reinterred with dignity, and their lives are honored.
- Fort Bend ISD continues to partner with community to honor individuals buried at historic cemetery
October 2018
- Fort Bend ISD enters into interlocal agreement with the City of Sugar Land regarding reinterment at the Old Imperial Prison Farm Cemetery.
- Fort Bend ISD forms Advisory Committee, invites members of the City of Sugar Land Task Force to join
November/December 2018
- Fort Bend ISD petitions 434th District Court for permission to reinter at the Old Imperial Prison Farm Cemetery. Judge Shoemake delays decision and appoints Master in Chancery.
- Fort Bend ISD to continue discussions regarding future interment of remains discovered at abandoned and historic cemetery
- Fort Bend ISD response to hearing held December 18, 2018
- Appeals court grants Stay to appointment of Master, pending further appeals court review.
February 2019
- Fort Bend County Historical Commission encourages Fort Bend County Commissioners Court to intervene in legal actions pending in the 434th District court.
- Fort Bend County Commissioner's Court votes to authorize county attorney to negotiate an Interlocal Agreement with FBISD regarding conveyance of land and reinterment.
- Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees votes to authorize superintendent to negotiate Interlocal Agreement with Fort Bend County.
- Fort Bend ISD halts further legal actions related to historic cemetery
March 2019
- Fort Bend County Commissioners Court passes resolution asking Texas Legislature to modify county's ability to operate historic cemetery.
- Message from FBISD Board President Jason Burdine.
April 2019
- Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees Approves Resolution Supporting Legislation Related to Sugar Land 95.
May 2019
June 2019
- Governor Abbott signs HB 4179 into law, which modifies the law to permit county to operate historic cemetery.
- Fort Bend ISD Board approves Interlocal Agreement in principle regarding the historic cemetery discovered at site of future school.
July 2019
- Fort Bend ISD, Fort Bend County move forward with historic cemetery agreement
- Fort Bend ISD announces plans to proceed to lay Sugar Land 95 to rest.
August 2019
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Sugar Land 95 update: small protest at Fort Bend ISD’s administration building
- Video Update from Dr. Charles Dupre
September 2019
November 2019
- Ceremony held prior to reburial of Sugar Land 95
- Community symposium held at James Reese Career and Technical Center
December 2019
June 2020
Photos
Q & A
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When did Fort Bend ISD purchase the 65 acre site where the remains were discovered, and where studies done on the site at time of purchase?
Fort Bend ISD purchased the site in 2011. In advance of the purchase of the property, FBISD conducted its due diligence, which included a cultural investigation of the site. The resulting report revealed only that the property was previously part of an approximately 2,000-acre parent tract known as the “Central State Prison Farm.” The consulting firm advised FBISD that no further archeological work on the property was warranted and noted that the Texas Historical Commission had agreed with this conclusion on two prior occasions, even as recently as 2004.
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How and when did Fort Bend ISD locate human remains at the James Reese Career and Technical Center?
In February 2018, bones were discovered as a contractor was backfilling a trench at the construction site. Fort Bend ISD immediately notified its archaeologists.
Texas law prohibits construction in the area of an owner’s property where human remains are discovered. Upon discovery, the Texas Historical Commission deemed the site an abandoned cemetery under the law and designated the site as a cemetery.
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Will the remains of the Sugar Land 95 undergo genetic testing? How can the public contribute to the fundraising?
Sugar Land 95 – DNA Research
The Texas Attorney General issued an opinion in June of 2019 confirming that the Texas Historical Commission (THC) alone has the authority to authorize extraction of biological samples for isotope analysis and DNA sequencing. Following this opinion, the tooth and bone samples necessary for future DNA and isotope testing were entrusted to the University of Texas’ Archaeological Research Laboratory (TARL) in Austin for curation.
Fundraising
In the fall of 2019, the Texas Historical Commission approved a research proposal for the extraction and analysis of ancient DNA at the University of Connecticut. Pursuant to that permit, TARL forwarded samples to a respected geneticist at the University of Connecticut for genetic analysis.
Researchers have secured funding for the first batch of DNA extractions. Additional funding will be needed to fund the remaining DNA extractions, analysis, comparisons to existing databases, public outreach, and genealogical studies. Fort Bend ISD is not directing this fundraising.February 2020 Update:
The new permanent fund has been established to support the DNA extraction and related costs for the "Sugar Land 95" including but not limited to analysis, comparisons to existing databases, public outreach, and genealogical studies. Donors will receive a tax letter from the UConn Foundation for deductions. Please see the new donation information below.
New gifts can be made to the fund a few ways:
- Phone: Call the UConn Foundation at 860-486-5000 and ask to make a gift over the phone
- Online: www.giving.uconn.edu in the “Search” type either or both “23598” and/or “Sugar Land 95 Fund” and follow directions to make a gift
- Mail: Checks made payable to the UConn Foundation, Inc. with memo of “23598 Sugar Land 95 Fund” and mail to:
Attn: Data Services
UConn Foundation
2390 Alumni Drive, Unit 3206
Storrs, CT 06269-3206
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The media mentions legislative action taken that would allow the County to operate the cemetery, what steps were taken after that action?
In February 2019, Fort Bend County commissioners stepped forward to explore possibilities of the County taking over the cemetery from the District. But the County determined that the law did not grant it the authority to own or operate the cemetery. With the support of local lawmakers, a bill was passed that would allow the County to own and operate the cemetery.
During the legislative session, the District’s negotiations with the County continued regarding conveyance of the land for a memorial park, which the County had authority to operate. But then, after the legislation passed that allowed the County to own and operate the cemetery, negotiations stalled over the question of whether court approval was needed to rebury the remains where they were found. Since Fort Bend ISD was no longer seeking the court’s permission to remove the remains or the cemetery designation, there was no action for the court to resolve. Fort Bend ISD dismissed the petition, believing it was more respectful to the Sugar Land 95 to go forward with re-interment even before the conveyance of land. -
How did Fort Bend ISD exhume the remains and ensure they are respectfully treated?
In June of 2018, a court granted FBISD permission to begin the process of exhuming the remains for the purposes of further forensic investigation.
The exhumation and onsite analysis consisted of a methodical and extensive process. Each exhumation took approximately 36-48 person hours per grave, followed by 4-8 hours for cleaning and an additional 12-15 hours for analysis of each individual.
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Are the remains those of former slaves?
Archaeologists believe the individuals buried at the property are linked to the property's historical use as a sugar plantation utilizing leased convict labor and the establishment of a convict camp beginning in the 1870's, after the abolition of slavery in 1863. Use of the burial site likely continued through 1911 as the State of Texas operated the Imperial Prison Camp Number 1 on the property.
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How will Fort Bend ISD memorialize these individuals and teach future generations about this piece of forgotten history?
The District has incorporated the discovery into the social studies curriculum. The Board adopted a locally-developed social studies standard related to the local history associated with the Sugar Land 95 and convict leasing. This local standard was implemented into the curriculum at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year.
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What is the timeline for identifying a community partner to maintain the cemetery?
There is no set timeline. The district remains open to considering a partnership with any community partner, including Fort Bend County.
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How long can FBISD maintain the historic cemetery?
The District can maintain the cemetery as long as necessary or until the County or another entity assumed the responsibility. The cemetery was discovered on District property and has been restored. FBISD has a legal and moral duty to maintain or care for it. Maintaining an historic cemetery is different from operating or managing an active cemetery, which would include ongoing sales of plots and burials, etc.
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What is the Sugar Land 95 Report?
The finalization of the bioarcheological report is an important milestone in Fort Bend ISD’s efforts to educate the community at-large about the Sugar Land 95. The information contained within this report has been long awaited by the community to provide an understanding of who exactly the individuals are now known as the Sugar Land 95. Fort Bend ISD is in full support of bringing awareness to the lives and legacies of the Sugar Land 95, but also to reveal to true story of the injustices and exploitation associated with the system of convict leasing. This report is just one tool that FBISD can utilize in our efforts to advocate and bring voices to the Sugar Land 95. The report was submitted to the Texas Historical Commission in August 2020 for technical review and approval.
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What is Fort Bend ISD doing to education the community about the Sugar Land 95 and the roles of convict leasing?
In May 2019, the FBISD Board of Trustees adopted a local studies standard, integrating the Sugar Land 95 discovery into the District’s social studies curriculum. With the adoption of the standard, the Sugar Land 95 was incorporated into the social studies curriculum in grades 4, 5, 7, 8, and high school U.S. History. This standard will also allow for our students to learn about other topics related to ethnic history including key leaders and events in our local history.
Information regarding convict leasing in the state and the Sugar Land 95 will also be included in course curriculum and the corresponding TEKS for the State’s African American Studies course, which was approved by the State Board of Education in April 2020 and will be offered to FBISD students in the 2020-21 school year. Fort Bend ISD Coordinator of Community and Civic Engagement Chassidy Olainu-Alade collaborated with SBOE representative Aicha Davis to develop the state TEKS after presenting research on the discovery of the historic cemetery to SBOE Representative Pat Hardy.
Olainu-Alade has also designed and delivered a presentation and a series of professional learning sessions for educators and entities seeking to learn about the discovery. This presentation is available for other school districts, community organizations, and government entities seeking to gain understanding and insight on the discovery. -
Will Fort Bend ISD pursue a historic cemetery designation for the site?
Yes, Fort Bend ISD is pursuing a Historic Cemetery Designation for the site and a formal submission is underway to the Texas Historic Commission. The Fort Bend County Historical Commission has agreed to support the application and will have the opportunity to review and provide comment prior to its submission. The designation process is estimated to take approximately four months, and upon its completion the District will be able to pursue the creation of an official historical marker.
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What is Fort Bend ISD doing to memorialize the Sugar Land 95 at the site of the James Reese Career and Technical Center?
Fort Bend ISD is continuing to plan to incorporate educational features and memorial components within the James C. Reese CTE Center. This project is in the initial phases and we are thankful for the partnership and collaboration with the Fort Bend Museum and other local historians, as their expertise is greatly valued.
The District has ordered the markers for the gravesites, which will be installed in late August. For the time being, a barrier fence has been erected to outline the exact location of the cemetery, as well as signage noting the name of site as registered by the Texas Historical Commission “Bullhead Camp Cemetery.” This name is the historical name documented in archival resources, giving reference to the name of the Bullhead Bayou which once ran through the area. The sign also indicates hours of visitation for those who wish to visit.