Lindsay Hancock's Quest to Preserve a Burial Site

Last week, Change.org member Lindsey Hancock’s petition, which asks that a Native American burial site not be disturbed, started to gather a bit more steam, and a few of the petitioners started to hear back for the officials they are asking to step in and stop the quarry threatening the site. So I got in touch with her and she told me a little bit more about what motivated her to step and start her first petition on Change.org.

How did you first hear about the quarry?

I first heard about the quarry after reading an article by expert Richard Thornton. I periodically receive e-newsletters from People of One Fire, a national alliance of Muskogean scholars.

What motivated you to get involved?

I am part Muskogee Creek and I have always been deeply interested in Native American issues around the nation. I know that there has been a lot of controversy with burial rights in various places around the nation, and reading Mr. Thornton's article made me furious that a place where people lived and are, according to the Alabama Historic Preservation Office, most likely interred, could be destroyed. I also love history, and actually took an Introduction to Archaeology class two summers ago where I learned that sites like these are to be respected, not destroyed.

Have you ever taken action like this before?

I have never taken action on this scale before. I like to share my opinion and I will occasionally sign a petition or two, but this is the first time I have really started my campaign.

You've noted on the petition that some people have been getting replies from the company digging the quarry, have you heard any response from government officials?

I received an e-mail from Red Bay city council member Charlene Fancher stating that her city doesn't have jurisdiction in the matter and that I need to get all my facts right. What she failed to understand is that just because she doesn't have legal jurisdiction, she and her fellow city council members are community leaders whose vocal support for this campaign could have been very helpful and important. But I digress.

Another signer of the petition received an email from Red Bay City Council member Brad Bolton who claimed that he was unaware of the site being any sort of burial ground, but that of course, is completely false. He also brought up that the quarry will bring 30 jobs to their community, but the signers of this petition believe that there are more important things, like saving this historically, archaeologically, and culturally significant place.

You can sign Lindsey’s petition to stop a quarry from digging up a site that the Alabama Historic Preservation Office thinks includes a Native American burial ground here.

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Photo Credit: Per Ola Wiberg