Quock Walker or have you seen this sign?

I wanted to post a picture this morning.  I decided that would be my counter to all the protests and fear and stupid pro- Confederate statue rhetoric that is being thrown about.  I determined to use my free morning and head up to Barre Common.  I could buy some eggs and kale at the farmer’s market and take the picture.  I already knew how I would caption it and share it across social media. 

As you can see, there is no picture.  Just a narrative to process my confusion and reflection on this.

There was a sign in the center of Barre – one of those green historic marker signs – that acknowledged the one time residence in Barre of Quork Walker.  Never heard of him?  Well that sign was across from the theater where I spend a lot of my time and only five miles from my house.  I went to high school less than two miles from that location.  But it wasn’t until a town anniversary prompted our theater to produce a play about his story that I knew who he was or what he did for our country.

In a nutshell (but I STRONLY URGE you to find out much more), Quork or Quock was a slave in the 18^th century on a farm in Barre.  He was promised his freedom, but through some almost too fantastic to be real events, had that promise revoked.  As men throughout the Commonwealth took up arms for the right to belong to a free and independent nation, he fought through the courts to have the right to belong to himself.  It is an amazing story and set in motion the beginning of the end of slavery in this country.  A man from Barre, Massachusetts.  Less than five miles from where I live.  Yup.  Pretty damn amazing.

I helped with set crew for the play that summer of 1999.  Within a year or so, the town put up this sign I mentioned.  It wasn’t in a very great location.  It was on a traffic island in front of the pizza place and Cumberland Farms.  Not a lot of pedestrians stopped to look and any drivers probably focused more on the stop sign than the name Quork.   But it was important that it was there.  Every once in a while when I would walk across the street to get a cold drink or batteries or some such for the theater I would see it and remember that good things happened in Barre.

I went to take a picture of that sign this morning.  It wasn’t there.

I am mostly confident there is a logical explanation for that.  Last year there was a major reconstruction of the roads and sidewalks of Barre Common.  The island where the sign stood is much more beautiful.  It is entirely possible that it was removed and will be replaced or refurbished – or indeed corrected.  I haven’t been able to track down that information yet.  I tried to solve it in my own mind and walked around the beautiful common – something I don’t think I’ve ever done.  I’ve rehearsed on that common and performed on it and walked many times.  But I never paused to look at the monuments and statues before. 

They are really spectacular and moving.  There was one for the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and Vietnam.  There was also a drinking fountain and stone wall flower bed for former residents of the early 20^th century.  All white men, but heroic.  Just no Quork Walker. 

I went to farmer’s market.  I forgot the eggs, but did get some veggies.  I went back to my car and drove around the common again.  Just in case.  You know.  In case I lost my mind.  I went to get an iced coffee and decided, hell, I had some time.  Maybe there is another sign I could photograph.  I know there is a location down some small road near state land where his family is buried.  We went on a hike there after the cast party and I’ve seen on Facebook that other groups have visited recently.  Maybe there is something there.  Nope.

I went back into town ONE more time.  I’m stubborn.  Or just doubt my perception.  Still no sign.

I’m sure I can find out.  Maybe one of you reading is more up to speed on this.  I let my Barre Gazette subscription lapse and could have missed that story.   I don’t doubt it has something to do with that reconstruction and could return better than before.

But, this is my thought.  Where is the outrage and protests about that?  That sign was one of the few reminders of Quork Walker in Barre.  A Google search will bring him up, but you have to know to look for him.  Look for him.  Learn about him.  Say his name.  And tell someone else.  This is a history that has been overlooked and maybe not deliberately erased… but, well selectively omitted.  It is an important history.  He was a hero and a major reason we are able to call this the land of the free and home of the brave.

Learn his name.  Remember him.  And if you know what happened to that sign, please tell me.