SITE DIRECTORY
To learn more about any of the BCN sites listed below, click “Read more” to view individual site briefs. To search for a specific BCN site, use the search bar below:
Bradwell Family Cemetery
Bradwell Family Cemetery
FOUNDED: Early 1900s
ADDITIONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY: The Bradwell slaves were transported to Wetumpka Florida in the early 1850s after their purchase by Isaac Bradwell. 19 slaves were purchased and moved to Florida. Formerly they were slaves of John Inabinette of St. Helena, South Carolina, an area known as Geechee Country. The Bradwell Family cemetery originally was the final resting place for the Bradwell family’s enslaved ancestors. The cemetery is located in Wetumpka, Florida, a small African American Community outside of Quincy, Florida.
The first bodies laid to rest are unknown, however Mingo Bradwell (born 1838 in St. Helena, South Carolina) died in 1910 and was the first to be buried in this section of the Bradwell Plantation. All the children listed on the attached plaque are buried in this cemetery. All 18 of Mingo and Sarah Bradwell's children are buried in this hallowed soil.
BCN Contact Information:
Octavius Clark
Historic Litchfield Plantation Cemetery
Historic Litchfield Plantation Cemetery
FOUNDED: Early 1700s
ADDITIONAL NAMES: Litchfield Cemetery
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY: Litchfield Plantation traces its formation to three land grants of 500, 500 and 420 acres (1.7 km2) from King George III to Thomas Hepworth, in 1710, 1712 and 1711. One of the distinguishing characteristics of Litchfield Plantation is the existence of a cemetery utilized by slaves of the plantation and their descendants. Little is recorded of the history of slavery at Litchfield Plantation. According to an archaeological investigation performed in 1989 the cemetery holds approximately 150 possible graves. Only 5 of these graves are marked, and only 2 are legible with dates in 1888 and 1920. The estate inventory of John Hyrne Tucker, taken in July of 1859, recorded the names of 155 slaves on Litchfield Plantation.
BCN Contact Information:
Robert B. Morrison
Woodlawn Cemetery (Historic African American Section)
Anson Street African Burial Ground
FOUNDED: 1915
ADDITIONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): Anson Street African Burial Ground project
HISTORY: Woodlawn Cemetery in Fort Myers, Florida is a historic burial ground that holds the remains of African American families from across Southwest Florida, including residents of Immokalee who were denied burial access in Collier County during the era of segregation. Because Black residents were barred from many white cemeteries, families were forced to bury their loved ones in Fort Myers. Woodlawn therefore became a regional resting place for Black agricultural workers, families, and children whose lives were tied to the farming communities of Immokalee and the surrounding areas. The cemetery contains both marked and unmarked graves and stands as physical evidence of the racial restrictions that shaped burial practices in Southwest Florida.
BCN Contact Information:
Ramona D. Miller
Anson Street African Burial Ground
Anson Street African Burial Ground
FOUNDED: 1849
ADDITIONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): Anson Street African Burial Ground project
HISTORY: The African Burial Ground on Anson Street in Charleston, SC, was rediscovered in 2013 during construction activities. Archaeological investigation revealed the graves of thirty-six children, women, and men of African descent who were buried there between the 1760s and 1790s; the ancestors were laid to rest with care by their loved ones, some dressed in clothing, some wrapped in shrouds, and some interred with personal belongings. Isotopic analysis indicates that at least six individuals were born in West and West Central Africa, survived the Middle Passage, and spent their final years in Charleston. The site is significant to both the local community and Black history as a rare and sacred testament to African presence, resilience, and cultural continuity in one of the principal ports of the transatlantic slave trade. In 2017, Charleston Mayor invited the grassroots Gullah Society, led by Dr. Ade Ofunniyin, to guide the memorialization and reburial process. During a Yoruba Naming Ceremony on April 27, 2019, the ancestors were given honorary African and Gullah Geechee names, restoring identity and dignity. They were reinterred in 2019, in the sacred ground where they were originally laid to rest. In 2025, a permanent memorial was dedicated to honor their lives and the countless African ancestors buried in Charleston’s soil.
BCN Contact Information:
Joanna Gilmore
Snow Hill Primitive Baptist Cemetery
SNOW HILL PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1929
ADDITONAL NAMES: None
AFFILIATION(S): Previously affiliated with Snow Hill Baptist Church
HISTORY: Snow Hill Cemetery, located in Mebane North Carolina, has been burial ground to many in the now Miles Chapel area formerly known as Unity in Alamance County. Families from the Moore, Hightower, Miles, Lea and others were buried there. This cemetery is a burial ground for early teacher Eliza Lea, who taught at Pleasant Grove Union, and Turner Moore, who helped found what’s now known as Miles Chapel church.
BCN Contact Information:
Melissa Enoch
msmelissae45@gmail.com
Rosson Memorial Cemetery
ROSSON MEMORIAL CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1874
ADDITONAL NAMES: Rossons Cemetery Kenton
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Established in 1874 as a burial ground for the Rosson family, who played a prominent role in the area’s early history. Among the first to be interred were Samuel M. Rosson (1814–1885), a Confederate soldier, along with his sisters Elizabeth Rosson Graham (1848–1874) and Mary Robinson Rosson (1816–1880). For many years, the cemetery was primarily used by the members of the Rosson family.
The cemetery’s rich history took a significant turn with the involvement of African American families before the end of the Reconstruction era. One of the most prominent African American families connected to Rosson Memorial Cemetery is the Cole family. William Carter Cole (1879–1975) and his wife, Sophia Brown Cole (1889–1965), were the last individuals buried there. Their family’s deep ties to the community began a new chapter in the cemetery’s history, reflecting the evolving racial landscape of the area. William Carter Cole, a lifelong resident of Kenton, served many roles, including working at Shatz Produce House and preparing bodies for burial before undertakers were widely available. His leadership in the community and St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, along with his legacy as a father of seven, left a lasting mark.
BCN Contact Information:
John Moore
john@mhpcorp.org
St. Peter’s Cemetery
ST. PETER’S CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1851
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S):
Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition
HISTORY:
The two main demographic groups buried at the cemetery are African Americans and Irish, with numerous other immigrant groups, which makes it unique. The two main churches that are buried at the cemetery are designated as a Historic Landmark. St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, located in Baltimore's Sandtown community, is a historic landmark that was founded in 1888 by the Josephite Fathers to serve Black Catholics and is the first parish in the world dedicated to St. Peter Claver, the "Apostle of the Slaves". The other main church that is buried at the cemetery and is also a Historic Landmark Designation is St. Peter the Apostle Church. St Peter the Apostle was a Roman Catholic church located within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland. Constructed at the northwest corner of Hollins and South Poppleton Streets (848 Hollins) and (11-13 South Poppleton), it was often referred to as "The Mother Church of West Baltimore" and served as a pillar of the Irish Community. The church is no longer catholic owned and is now an African American congregation: Carter Memorial Church of God in Christ.
BCN Contact Information:
Jennifer Johnson
Speedwell Cemetery
SPEEDWELL CEMETERY
FOUNDED: Unknown; 1942 Reinternment
ADDITONAL NAMES: Park Cemetery/Cemetery B
AFFILIATION(S):
Friends of the Bluegrass Memorial Cemeteries
HISTORY:
Speedwell Cemetery, located on Speedwell Road, is an approximately 7.5-acre site explicitly designated as the segregated final resting place for the African American community whose homes and ancestral burial grounds were seized by the Army in order to make the Blue Grass Army Depot in 1942. This site powerfully embodies the deep-seated racial hierarchies of the era, extending even to the treatment of the deceased, as they were segregated with white individuals buried in the Bluegrass Memorial Cemetery. Speedwell Cemetery received a substantial number of relocated remains, approximately 900. Though the identities of many are tragically lost—a direct consequence compounded by decades of neglect that disproportionately affected this site. At its entrance, a chain-link fence with a gate provides access. Beyond the grave markers themselves, no other structures are present within the cemetery. Among those identified is Private Edward Francis (1830-1897), a U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) veteran of the 114th USCI, born into slavery, who gained freedom through his courageous service in the Civil War. His personal letters home vividly reveal his deep longing for his enslaved wife and three children, his gratitude for health and strength during his service, and his determination to learn to read and write. Francis's story, alongside those of other USCT veterans interred here, such as Edmond D. Collins (1845-1903), Lewis Gilbert (1839-1909), Charles H. Todd (1836-1902), and Smith Todd (1838-1891), powerfully underscores their fight not only for freedom but also for civil rights and a place of equality for their families post-emancipation. The vast majority of Speedwell Cemetery is characterized by severe overgrowth, which has obscured countless graves, further exacerbating the historical erasure of marginalized communities. This overgrowth has also threatened and damaged any remaining grave markers. Many graves are humbly marked with only a fieldstone. While a small percentage of graves are still visible in an open grassy area, many more remain completely hidden beneath dense overgrowth and underbrush, rendering them inaccessible and tragically lost to memory.
BCN Contact Information:
Brenda Burton
breburton@gmail.com
Enon Ridge Odd-Fellows Pioneer Cemetery
ENON RIDGE ODD-FELLOWS PIONEER CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1891
ADDITONAL NAMES: Enon Ridge Cemetery
AFFILIATION(S):
Freshwater Land Trust
HISTORY:
Enon Ridge Pioneer Odd-Fellow Cemetery holds significant historical value in telling the story of Birmingham, Alabama's Black history. Established as early as 1891, it served as a final resting place for African Americans during segregation and limited burial options. Notable interments, such as John Tuggle, husband of the prominent educator Carrie A. Tuggle, and Civil War veteran CPL Anthony Robertson, underscore its importance in the community's collective memory. Despite a 1901 resolution to close the "black cemetery" and subsequent court upholding, burials continued until the late 1950s, suggesting the community's continued need for and connection to this space. The cemetery's history reflects the challenges faced by African Americans in securing and maintaining burial grounds during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Birmingham. The eventual decline of its upkeep, linked to urban development, highlights the vulnerability of such sites. Efforts to document the burials, advocate for its preservation through historical registries, and potential inclusion in the Birmingham Public Library's archives are crucial to recognizing and safeguarding this important piece of local and Black history. The addition of the cemetery to the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register in 2023 and the Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance in 2024 further acknowledges its historical significance.
BCN Contact Information:
The Masonton
wilhelminathomas@hotmail.com
https://freshwaterlandtrust.org/
Woodlawn Cemetery
WOODLAWN CEMETERY
FOUNDED: Woodlawn Cemetery
ADDITONAL NAMES: Woodlawn Burial Park, Green Mount Cemetery
AFFILIATION(S):
Friends of Woodlawn (community group)
HISTORY:
Woodlawn Cemetery, originally established in the late 19th century as Greenmount Cemetery and later renamed, is a historically significant African American burial ground in Cumberland, Maryland. Founded during the era of racial segregation, it served as the primary resting place for Black residents who were denied burial in white cemeteries. The site contains the graves of prominent African American community leaders, veterans, and families who contributed to the region’s cultural and social development. Its existence reflects the resilience of Cumberland’s Black community in the face of systemic discrimination, making it a vital landmark for understanding local African American heritage.
Today, Woodlawn Cemetery stands as an important historical and cultural resource, offering insight into the lives of Black Marylanders during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Preservation efforts highlight its role in commemorating overlooked narratives of struggle, perseverance, and community strength. Recognizing and protecting this sacred space ensures that future generations can honor the legacy of those who shaped Cumberland’s Black history despite the challenges of segregation.
BCN Contact Information:
Tiffany Frazier
trfrazier1974@yahoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1d6gRTYPiS/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Plot N of Rosemary Cemetery
PLOT N OF ROSEMARY CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1931
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
In the early 1920s, Mr. Creighton donated a parcel of land to Collier County for the establishment of the county's second cemetery, named Rosemary Cemetery. Reflecting the social norms of the time, segregation extended even to burial grounds. African Americans were interred along the railroad tracks at what is now the intersection of Pine Ridge Road and Goodlette-Frank Road.
Today, there are no headstones or markers to remind the community of their presence—just a few pillars and overgrown weeds. While it is possible that wooden structures, such as crosses, were once placed to mark the graves, they have since deteriorated. It is estimated that there are eight bodies buried there, likely seven adults and one child.
Efforts are being made to honor this plot of land by establishing plans to install headstones, a botanical garden-style fence, and a historical marker. On January 28, 2025, as part of an Eagle Project, Jonathan Rodriguez presented to the Board of Collier Commissioners, requesting that they recognize the cemetery as historically significant to the community.
BCN Contact Information:
Amanda Townsend & Jonathan Rodriguez
amanda.townsend@colliercountyfl.gov
Hanna African-American Cemetery
HANNA AFRICAN-AMERICAN CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1896
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Hugh Hanna, Sr. enslaved Black people on his properties, which included a plantation and a cattle farm. His 1825 tax return indicated that he owned 2,420 acres of land and enslaved 28 individuals. In 1896, E.S. Brown and M.R. Brown sold 113 acres to Samuel M. Cameron, an African American. This land included the Hannah and Cameron Cemeteries.
Preserving the Hanna African American Cemetery in Lake City, SC, is important for honoring local Black history and preventing the erasure of the lives and stories of those buried there. As a resting place for formerly enslaved individuals and their descendants, the cemetery holds significant cultural, historical, and genealogical value. Restoring the site would help preserve community heritage, support education, and recognize the contributions of African Americans in the region.
BCN Contact Information:
Dr. Terrie Gaskins-Bryant
bryant107@frontier.com
Green Lawn Cemetery
GREEN LAWN CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1907
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Green Lawn Cemetery was founded by a former enslaved person, Lawrence Murray, Sr., in May 1907 to serve the African American community in the City of Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. African Americans were not allowed to be buried within the Chester City limits. The 8.5-acre cemetery houses approximately 2,000 burials, including the graves of at least 300 veterans of the United States Armed Services who served from the Civil War through the 20th century. Green Lawn is a vital cultural and historical resource in the community, where residents can connect and learn about African American history and life, as well as the significant contributions African Americans have made to the Chester area, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the nation.
BCN Contact Information:
Dr. Clarence "AL" Grasty
Queen Esther Household of Ruth Cemetery
QUEEN ESTHER HOUSEHOLD OF RUTH CEMETERY
FOUNDED: around 1917
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
The Queen Esther Household of Ruth Cemetery was established by Black women in the community of Whitesboro. This town was intentionally created by George Henry White and other dedicated African Americans as a safe haven for Black people seeking to escape the regional racism of the Deep South and the local racism present in Cape May County. Furthermore, the Household of Ruth Cemetery serves as a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of Black women, who were its founders.
BCN Contact Information:
Rev. Douglas Moore, MDiv, Pastor, First Baptist Church of Whitesboro
rev.dh.moore@gmail.co
Morningstar Tabernacle No. 88 Moses Cemetery and Hall
MORNINGSTAR TABERNACLE NO. 88 CEMETERY AND HALL
FOUNDED: 1885
ADDITONAL NAMES: Morningstar Moses Cemetery; Moses Hall Cemetery; No. 10 Cemetery; Gibson Grove
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Morningstar Moses Cemetery and Hall, founded in 1885 in Cabin John, Montgomery County, Maryland, is a significant African American historic site established by Morningstar Tabernacle No. 88 of the Ancient United Order of Sons & Daughters, Brothers & Sisters of Moses (MT88), Its early extant minutes book is a rare artifact. It shows how MT88 supported education, burial, and aid for its Black community. The 124 documented burials, including Clara Barton’s housekeeper Emma Jones and founding community member Sarah Gibson, date from 1894 to 1977, with 433 potential burials identified by GPR surveys. MT88 built a Moses Hall on the site for its meetings and community events. The site and local Black community were impacted by the construction of the Capital Beltway (I-495) in the 1960s. The Hall’s foundations remain the only remains of the three Moses Halls originally established in the county. Eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, it stands as a testament to Black resilience, community, and history.
BCN Contact Information:
Friends of Moses Hall, Inc.
morningstarmosescj@gmail.com
Winterpock African American Cemetery
WINTERPOCK AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1853
ADDITONAL NAMES: Patterson-Haskins Cemetery
AFFILIATION(S):
Chesterfield Historical Society
HISTORY:
In a thickly-wooded area in Winterpock (Chesterfield County), Virginia lies a burial ground where enslaved and formerly enslaved African Americans were interred from at least as early as 1853 to as late as the 1930s. The land, purchased in 1853 by James Henry Cox (1810-1877), owner of Clover Hill Coal Mines (which relied on enslaved labor), was used as a burying place initially for African Americans enslaved as domestic workers in the Cox household. Documents in the Cox family (dating to the 1850s) make mention of this burial ground. While none of the graves is marked, existing natural stones suggest that stones were once placed at the heads and feet of the graves. Two people have been identified with a high degree of certain as having been buried here in the 1930s, both formerly enslaved in the area: Edward “Ned” Patterson (c. 1835-1937) and his wife of seventy-five years Martha Jane “Jennie” Haskins Patterson (c.1842-1938). Jennie Patterson’s 1937 narrative was collected by the WPA/ Library of Congress Collection. Records suggest that other Patterson family members are buried here, one or more of their sixteen children (seven of whom lived to adulthood) and/or grandchildren. During a 2023 site visit, archaeologist Joanna Green of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) authenticated the burial ground and estimated that it may contain as many as 30 graves. Green listed the cemetery in the VA State database of cemeteries. The land where the cemetery is located presently belongs to Vulcan Materials Corps, based in Birmingham, AL.
BCN Contact Information:
Elizabeth Logan Harris
eloganharris@gmail.com
Island Pond Two
ISLAND POND TWO CEMETERY
FOUNDED: UNKNOWN
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Property Alt Key: 2582529. The land where this cemetery is located was part of an original land grant from 1884 belonging to Burrell Reese. Burrell and his family were enslaved in the Apopka area before the Civil War. Burrell's land was adjacent to his son-in-law, Jackson Knight's land. Both Burrell and Jackson have cemeteries located in the southwest corners of their original land grants. According to some death certificates, the cemetery on Jackson's land was named Island Pond Cemetery. In 2009 when Margaret Reese-Williams began searching for her family history and located both cemeteries, she registered them on the Florida Master Site File. She heard that Island Pond One was no longer used when it became full. That is when more burials occurred at the other site. Margaret gave the official name of Island Pond 2 to the cemetery on Burrell Reese's land. Property records show that the Island Pond 2 site, which is 5 acres, was owned in the 1940s by the Sorrento Burial Society. Today it is held by a private landowner who has applied for a family lot split so that homes may be built on the two plots. This site has had grave markers removed over the years and heavy equipment was brought on to do clearing as recently as 2023. The current property owner is not cooperating with efforts to preserve and protect the cemetery.
BCN Contact Information:
Katherine de Jongh & Margaret Reese-Williams
ELMWMP@COMCAST.NET
Island Pond One
ISLAND POND ONE CEMETERY
FOUNDED: early 1880s
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Island Pond One was formed out of land owned by Jackson Knight, through the Homestead Act. Jack or Jackson Knight, along with a group of former slaves from the William Shelton Delk "plantation" from Apopka, Florida settled in this area after the end of the Civil War. They named this area Island Pond. Property records show two cemeteries and a church, the Island Pond Primitive Baptist Church, existed on adjacent parcels. Over time the lands were sold off piece by piece. These early residents contributed significantly to the creation of and the economy of nearby communities of Mount Dora, Sorrento, and Eustis. In 2009, two women from Fort Pierce came to Lake County, Florida, researching their family history. Their persistence paid off and they registered two cemeteries on the Florida Master Site File, Island Pond One and Island Pond Two. In 2023 a nonprofit was formed to aid in the research, restoration, and preservation of the two cemeteries. In January of 2024, a committee working on behalf of the Division of Historical Resources selected our grant application for funding from the Abandoned African American Cemeteries Grant Program. We are awaiting the legislature's approval for the requested funding for the project.
BCN Contact Information:
Katherine de Jongh
katherine.dejongh@aol.com
Big zion Cemetery
BIG ZION CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1863
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Big Zion AME Zion Church was founded in 1863 by Solomon Johnson. While he was enslaved, he asked his enslaver permission to build a "brush-harber" on the plantation. He granted Solomon Johnson the site as a permanent meeting place for worshipping and assigned a space as a burial ground for his slaves in 1863, documented records attest to the donation are located in the Tangipahoa Parish Clerk's Office is dated 1871. An additional two acres of land was donated to the church for a cemetery by William Woods to Solomon Johnson. Solomon Johnson is buried in Big Zion Cemetery; along with other men and woman who served in the military, educators, farmers, and church members.
BCN Contact Information:
Antoinette Harrell
afrigenah@yahoo.com
San Marcos Blanco Cemetery
SAN MARCOS BLANCO CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1893
ADDITONAL NAMES: SMBC, San Marcos Community Cemetery
AFFILIATION(S):
———
————-
HISTORY:
Extensive research was conducted by the late Ms. Ollie Giles. The San Marcos-Blanco Cemetery was established in 1893 by five African American men. Wyatt Newman, James Landon, Henry Richardson, Lucky McQueen, and Miles Bowen purchased the 10.62 acres for $200 cash.
Officially, the cemetery became the San Marcos-Blanco Association Cemetery in 1901. In 1981, several local residents reorganized a cemetery association and had the name changed to San Marcos Community Cemetery. Some years later it was changed back to San Marcos-Blanco.
Today there are more than 400 graves with headstones and inscriptions. Many others do not have headstones, and Giles says there are probably still more that are unmarked and undiscovered. The cemetery is located on Post Road north of San Marcos. Initiatives will be focused on the maintenance and preservation of the site. It is presently being encroached upon by local expansion efforts. Vandalism and unauthorized entries onto the grounds contribute to our concerns.
BCN Contact Information:
Johnnie Bratton, Jr