WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — This Juneteenth brought about a moment Johnette Gordon Weaver will never forget.
For the first time, she and more than 100 descendants of the Historic First Baptist Church of Williamsburg got a first look at how their ancestors will be remembered.
"Full-on ugly cry," said Gordon Weaver. "It was sad. It was uplifting. It was a culmination of emotions all at one time."
Since 2020, 13News Now has followed the community's journey to unveil its history. Underneath a former parking lot, archaeologists discovered the foundation of the original church building, which dates back to the 1700s. Scientists also found 62 graves which DNA evidence later confirmed belonged to people of African descent who they are confident were members of First Baptist Church, one of the oldest known Black congregations in the nation.
The burial markers are made with granite, which is weatherproof and designed to last.
“Because once they are laid down, they will be there forever," said Connie Harshaw Matthews, president of the church's non-profit organization, Let Freedom Ring Foundation.
Jack Gary, Colonial Williamsburg's director of archaeology, said the markers are shaped like coffins and their sizes and labels match the ages of the remains.
“We may not ever know their names, but we can tell through excavations if they are adults, children, or even infants," said Gary. “To be able to layer in the humanity of these people, the individuality of these people as much as we can, that was the goal for the design of these markers.”
“The very small one the size of the coffin underground is labeled infant. The child will be labeled child, and the adults will be labeled," said Harshaw Matthews.
Gordon Weaver recalls the moment one of the oldest descendants, 94 years old, and one of the youngest, around nine years old, pulled back the curtain to reveal the markers' design. She said the sight showcased the significance of the journey.
“Because really all of this work is so that they don't have to do it," she said. "The little ones that are coming up, my grandchildren, won’t come to Williamsburg and say they don’t have a place here. They will come to Williamsburg and say, 'Hey look at all the work we have done.'”
All 62 burials will receive their own markers at the exact location where they were located. Harshaw Matthews said they expect to reveal the final layout in early November. Then, construction will begin to rebuild the original church building, which should be completed in 2026.