Sugar Land 95: How a Rediscovered Convict Cemetery Has Led to Community Engagement and Memorialization Efforts

The brutality of the convict lease system in Texas and the rest of the South is often ignored or swept under the rug by local residents. Acknowledging and memorializing violent local history can be a powerful way for communities to develop a more personal relationship with the past. The discovery of the Sugar Land 95 in Fort Bend County Texas is a key example of how a historic discovery can usher in the opportunity for people of all ages to learn about local history, become descendant stewards, and assist in historic preservation of local sites and legacies.