VHB provided civil engineering and landscape architecture services for the African Landing Memorial at Fort Monroe, honoring the lives of the first Africans brought to the Virginia Colony in 1619. Designed by artist Brian R. Owens, this unique memorial features three main elements—The Relief, The Figures, and The Arc—symbolizing events from the first Africans’ kidnapping to their enduring legacy.
The Memorial begins its story by remembering the first Africans’ origin and history, illuminating on what their lives may have looked like before abduction, it then follows the men and women’s forced voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to Point Comfort, and the lives they built in its aftermath.
“From the outset, we knew that this project’s site design needed to support a powerful story. Every decision was made with deep respect for history and place,” said Harley Walker, VHB Landscape Architect. “We collaborated closely with the architect, Baskervill, and the artist Brian R. Owens to create a memorial that invites reflection, remembrance, and healing.”
The memorial is located near the water and includes thoughtful landscaping, paving, and lighting in a peaceful park setting. When designing the site, the team considered the viewshed of the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, active use of the adjacent Engineer Wharf fishing pier, potential archeological impacts, and its location within a regulated floodplain and storm surge areas. The site design integrates seamlessly with the memorial’s future sculptural pieces—The Relief, The Arc, and The Figures—which incorporate African cultural symbolism and utilize site materials sourced from Angola. These pieces will be installed in the plaza in the upcoming months, and the memorial will be complete.
In addition to its commemorative role, the project site has been thoughtfully envisioned as an educational and community resource. By creating a shared space that encourages engagement, dialogue, and understanding, the site seeks to inspire ongoing conversations about equity, justice, and our shared responsibility to remember this past of history.
Learn more about VHB’s landscape architecture services.
