Those who made the decision to seek freedom faced danger and uncertainty, but all with the hope for better lives. this journey begins on a maringally elevated whitewashed pine boardwalk, surrounded by a field of native grasses and wildflowers which have marked parts of the Virginia landscape over the eras and now mark the traditional boundaries of this cemetery. They blow in the wind, create waves, and change colors, giving homage to those buried underneath with the visible cycles of life. Behind the entry wall, the building foundations, once the symbols of desecration and apathy, have been appropriated to become the collective gravestones for those that made the brave decision to leave, now a place for public commemoration. Visitors look down to read the names of the buried, which have been etched into the slab and protected by layers of glass. the names are grouped by burial years, and the corresponding walls tell their story. over the course of the day and seasons, light and shadow created by these walls illuminate the names in different ways. An overlook with seating beyond these "safe houses" provides an elevated view of the destination but no access. Flanked by groves, a connecting path leads down past a passive recreational terraced lawn, and towards an elm tree, the tallest element of the site, and that which connects the buried and the heavens. Visitors can experience private reflection sitting along the steps of the amphitheater surrounding the elm, while a series of USCT soldier impressions stand tall along that portion of the sound wall, overlooking and protecting the site, ensuring that it will never be desecrated again.