What is the Convict Leasing and Labor Project (CLLP)? What role will they play in honoring the individuals?

The stated mission of the Convict Leasing and Labor Project is to document the abuses of forced labor in the United States past and present. That includes slavery, convict leasing, and current forced labor arrangements in US prisons. The published goal of CLLP is to “abolish the last vestiges of involuntary servitude in the nation to bring the US into compliance with Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”


The stated vision of the CLLP is to provide a public forum on the impact of slavery, convict leasing, and current forced labor arrangements inside US prisons. According to their literature the group envisions:

  • Partnering with the City of Sugar Land and Fort Bend Independent School District in properly memorializing the convict lease prisoners whose graves were uncovered at a FBISD construction site in 2018
  • Partnering with the City and FBISD in establishing a permanent museum of slavery and convict leasing in Fort Bend County
  • Providing educational outreach on the history of slavery, convict leasing, and forced labor
  • Networking with prison reform activists and organizations dedicated to stopping ongoing forced labor arrangement in contemporary US prisons 


Show All Answers

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?