Archaeologists, particularly those in North America who come from an anthropological background, often pride themselves on their knowledge of the wide diversity of human cultures across time and space. However, we often fall short in working with on an equitable basis the living communities outside the field’s dominate white, colonial, cultural world view. While there has been halting progress made in improving collaboration with Indigenous communities, progress in working with and acknowledging other descendent communities has lagged in many aspects.<o:p></o:p>

In the context of conducting HRM/CRM work in the greater Houston area, the African American community has long felt the brunt of negative impacts from developments associated with the region’s rapid growth and expansion. These same developments are often the very same types of projects that account for much of HRM companies’ business. Increasingly descendent communities are pushing for greater involvement in development decisions and in how those decisions impact cultural heritage. In order to foster an ethical and equitable field HRM professionals need to put greater effort into working with descendent communities. <o:p></o:p>

The preservation and treatment of burial grounds has become an increasingly important topic in this area and the early stages of possible federal legislation are on the horizon. While there are several examples of “forgotten” African American cemeteries in the greater Houston area, one of the most significant recent examples has been the discovery of a prison labor burial ground, commonly referred to as the Sugar Land 95. The case of the Sugar Land 95 shows how failure to fully collaborate with community can lead to unnecessary conflict, but it also may provide some guidance on how we can move forward.<o:p></o:p>