Site Brief:
Founded: 1943
Location: Fort Myers, FL
Additional name(s): Oakridge Cemetery; Oak Ridge Cemetery; Oakridge Section of the City of Fort Myers Cemetery; Oakridge (Colored) Cemetery
Affiliate group(s):
A Voice in the Wilderness Empowerment Center
History:
Oak Ridge Cemetery is a historic Black burial ground located in Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida. Historical documentation identifies its establishment in 1943, although earlier plat records dating to 1940 warrant further examination. Situated along Henderson Avenue, Oak Ridge and neighboring Woodlawn served generations of Black families during segregation. These burial grounds represent the lives, families, faith, labor, and contributions of African Americans who helped establish and sustain the Fort Myers community. The City of Fort Myers continues to recognize Oakridge and Woodlawn as separately named cemetery sections.
Oak Ridge holds significant historical, cultural, and ancestral importance to Southwest Florida's Black community. Its preservation raises important questions concerning historical cemetery boundaries, burial documentation, unmarked graves, and changes in surrounding land use. Descendant-led research seeks to recover and preserve burial records, identify those interred, protect ancestral resting places, and ensure the cemetery's history is neither forgotten nor erased. Recognizing Oak Ridge independently preserves an essential part of Fort Myers' African American heritage for future generations.
BCN Contact Information:
Ramona D. Miller