Downtown in Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
St. Johns Church
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 16, 2021
1. St. Johns Church Interpretive Plaque
This memorial was erected in 1901 in memory of local Confederate soldiers by the Hampton Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy with permission of St. John's Church. While some soldiers are buried in our cemetery, many of the dead were never returned home, and this memorial provided a site for remembrance.
In 2020, St. John's sought to evaluate the memorial in light of its historic and current cultural contexts. The memorial originally included a Confederate flag, which to some represents heritage and history, but to others conveys a message of racism and exclusion. It does not reflect the values we hold sacred and was covered with the inscription you see today.
As a church, we mourn the hundreds of thousands of lives lost in the Civil War and the terrible tragedy of slavery as well as subsequent racial discrimination and violence. Acknowledging our imperfection, we work and pray for equality and continued reconciliation and healing.
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. - Amen -
Erected 2021 by
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Peace • Religion & Religious Structures • War, US Civil.
Location. 37° 1.548′ N, 76° 20.808′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is in Downtown. It is on West Queens Way east of Franklin Street, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located on the south side of St. Johns Episcopal Church and beside the Hampton Confederate Monument. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 West Queens Way, Hampton VA 23669, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Peninsula and in Coastal Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Hampton Confederate Monument (here, next to this marker); Virginia Laydon (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named St. John's Church (a few steps from this marker); Elizabeth City Parish (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named St. John's Church (a few steps from this marker); Founders And Patriots Buried In This Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); War of 1812 Veterans Interred or Memorialized in this Historic Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named St. John's Church (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 16, 2021
2. St. Johns Church Interpretive Plaque
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 16, 2021
3. St. Johns Church Interpretive Plaque
Plaque that now covers the Confederate flag symbol can be seen on the monument.
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 16, 2021
4. Closeup of Plaque on the Hampton Confederate Monument
Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 687 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 22, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
