Pleasant Litchford and his family were ex-slaves who settled in the Perry Township of Franklin County in 1832. There the family struggled alongside other pioneers to establish a home in the Ohio wilderness. Although Pleasant died a wealthy landowner, a millionaire in today's economy, his legacy and those of many other people of color have been buried. Secrets under the Parking Lot explores the history of what is now Upper Arlington, Ohio, focusing on the truth found in original documents such as maps, land deeds, and ...
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Pleasant Litchford and his family were ex-slaves who settled in the Perry Township of Franklin County in 1832. There the family struggled alongside other pioneers to establish a home in the Ohio wilderness. Although Pleasant died a wealthy landowner, a millionaire in today's economy, his legacy and those of many other people of color have been buried. Secrets under the Parking Lot explores the history of what is now Upper Arlington, Ohio, focusing on the truth found in original documents such as maps, land deeds, and records of lawsuits. It tells the interwoven story of many families in the area and how the township developed. Early in the twentieth century, there was a social shift in the community that mirrored the national climate. Policies were put in place to exclude people of color from landownership in attempts to create all-white neighborhoods and communities. In 1955, the Litchford family graves were moved across town to Union Cemetery, where they now lie with no gravestones. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1965 made these exclusionary policies illegal, their effects linger in society today. Honoring those who have come before means acknowledging the truth of history, even in the face of attempts to cover it up.
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