Cemetery for the Enslaved at The Hermitage

Apr 27

Site Brief:

Founded: 1804

Location: Hermitage, TN

Additional name(s): Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

Affiliate group(s): N/A

History:

The cemetery for the enslaved at The Hermitage—the plantation home of Andrew Jackson—was established during the early 19th century, when enslaved laborers lived and worked on the property. Jackson enslaved nine people by 1804; by the time of his death in 1845, that number had increased to 161, with more than 300 individuals enslaved at The Hermitage over time. Although documentary evidence long indicated the presence of a burial ground, its location was not confirmed until 2024, when archaeological surveys identified at least 28 graves in a wooded area roughly 325 yards from the main house. The burials are largely unmarked, consistent with common practices in enslaved communities during this period.

The cemetery is significant because it provides material evidence of the lives and deaths of enslaved individuals at The Hermitage, a site historically interpreted primarily through the life of Jackson. For the local Nashville community and African American history, the site offers a documented space directly tied to enslaved populations whose identities were often excluded from written records. Its identification also serves as a focal point for descendant engagement and public history initiatives that address the scale of enslavement in Middle Tennessee during the Early Republic period.