NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville Mayor David Briley says his city can begin to acknowledge, atone and seek reconciliation for slavery by replacing an unused minor league baseball stadium with a park commemorating a Civil War fort built by slaves.
Briley announced Tuesday he'll seek $1 million in city money to demolish Greer Stadium near Fort Negley. Developers dropped housing and entertainment complex plans for the site after archaeologists found human remains are likely still buried there, possibly of slaves who built the fort.
Musician Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn is helping fundraise for the park.
After Union forces occupied Nashville in 1862, more than 2,700 African-Americans helped build Fort Negley. About 600 to 800 died.
Briley became mayor last week after ex-Mayor Megan Barry resigned amid fallout from an affair.