Why did the city acquire the cemetery?

The City of Sugar Land negotiated with Newland Real Estate Group, developer of the Telfair residential community in Fort Bend County, to accept responsibility for the ownership of the cemetery, ensuring this historical property does not disappear through neglect like many others throughout the country. The Imperial Farm Cemetery was declared a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2007 in an application that was made in collaboration with the Fort Bend Historical Commission and approved by the Texas Historical Commission. The City has protected and maintained the prison cemetery property since taking ownership.

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1. Why did the City enter into an agreement with FBISD?
2. Where is the Old Imperial Prison Farm Cemetery located?
3. Who is buried there now? How many graves, and are they all leased prison labor too?
4. Will DNA testing be performed on the individuals? If not, why?
5. Will the City apologize for what happened in its history?
6. How were the graves discovered and by whom?
7. How many graves were discovered?
8. Can you describe the individuals found? Were they males? What ages? When do the graves date from?
9. Has construction at the site been stopped?
10. What governmental entities are involved?
11. What educational projects do the school district and City plan to implement to pay honor to the finding?
12. What was the convict leasing and labor program?
13. When did the city acquire the cemetery?
14. Why did the city acquire the cemetery?
15. How has the city protected the cemetery?
16. Has the city worked with local groups to honor the cemetery’s history?
17. Has an archeological survey been performed?
18. Have other surveys been performed?
19. Will future surveys be performed?
20. What is the status of parkland development on city-owned property surrounding the cemetery?
21. How has Sugar Land worked to preserve prison-related history?
22. Does the city have a museum?
23. What is the Convict Leasing and Labor Project (CLLP)? What role will they play in honoring the individuals?
24. What is the Texas Slave Descendant’s Society?
25. What are the concerns of the National Black United Front?
26. What was the recommendation of the Task Force?
27. What did City Council approve?
28. Does the interlocal agreement specify a specific location for re-interment?
29. Who is responsible for choosing a site for re-interment?