African Cemetery No. 2

Jul 25

Site Brief:

Founded: 1870

Location: Lexington, KY

Additional name(s): N/A

Affiliate group(s): N/A

History:

This is the earliest recorded cemetery in Lexington to be organized, owned, and managed by African Americans. The 8-acre property was purchased in 1869 by Union Benevolent Society No. 2 (from which the cemetery gets its name) and the cemetery was chartered in 1870; burials continued until 1976. The people here were important leaders in Lexington. The cemetery uniquely honors individuals significant in the history of Thoroughbred Racing. Oliver Lewis, the first winner of the Kentucky Derby is buried here and it was the original burial site for the 3-time KY Derby-winning jockey Isaac Murphy. There over 150 members of the USCT including three individuals who were members of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiments.

Like many private cemeteries African Cemetery No. 2 was not endowed and with the death of its founding members the cemetery became urban wasteland - it was declared abandoned on April 17, 1973. City government claimed ownership and surveyed graves in the cemetery in 1973 in anticipation of planned development; the revelation of over 5000 burial sites precluded that use. In March 1979, the Rev. H. Greene organized a nonprofit group as African Cemetery No. 2 Inc. to reclaim the landscape. The cemetery was cleaned and restored in 1980 and African Cemetery No. 2 Inc. was deeded the property in May 1981. The nonprofit was reorganized in 1995 and restoration, historic preservation, and cultural activities have continued since. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. It is the home of Lexington’s longest running Juneteenth Celebration (since 2005).