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:
PIERCE CHAPEL AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY
PIERCE CHAPEL AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1834
ADDITONAL NAMES: None
AFFILIATION(S):
African American Cemetery Coalition
HISTORY:
Pierce Chapel African Cemetery, located in Land Lot 49 of the 18th District in Harris County, Georgia, was established circa 1827 as a burial ground for generations of enslaved Africans. Following Emancipation, it continued to serve their descendants and the broader African American community across Harris County and the greater Columbus region, reflecting enduring familial connections and patterns of movement that extend well beyond the immediate locality.
Recent discoveries of archaeological artifacts and evidence of traditional African burial rituals are helping to illuminate the cemetery’s deeper historical and cultural significance. The site preserves cultural traditions anchored in West and Central African burial practices. It stands as an enduring cultural landmark and the final resting place of individuals whose lives embody resilience and perseverance, including veterans of the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II; Black farmers; skilled artisans; educators; and working-class individuals who contributed significantly to the cultural and economic development of the region and beyond.
BCN Contact Information:
Hamilton Hood Foundation
info@hamiltonhood.org
Odd Fellows Cemetery
ODD FELLOWS CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1890s
ADDITONAL NAMES: Rountree Cemetery, Rountree-Vick Cemetery
AFFILIATION(S):
African-American Cemetery Coalition
HISTORY:
Odd Fellows Cemetery is at the center of three adjoining historic African-American cemeteries, each founded around the turn of the 20th century. (Rountree Cemetery is easternmost. Vick Cemetery is westernmost. Colloquially, and confusingly, all three cemeteries are collectively known as “Rountree Cemetery.” The City of Wilson erroneously refers to Odd Fellows and Vick cemeteries jointly as “Rountree-Vick Cemetery.”) Established as a burial ground by members of Hannibal Lodge #1552, Odd Fellows was active into the 1950s, though most burials were before World War II. It holds the remains of many early 20th century businesspeople and artisans, including Samuel H. Vick, arguably the most powerful, politically connected, and certainly the wealthiest African-American in Wilson from about 1890-1930.
Odd Fellows was abandoned circa 1960. The local lodge is defunct. Three-quarters of the two-acre is completely overgrown. Lane Street Project began leading volunteer cleanups in December 2020.
BCN Contact Information:
Lane Street Project
lisayhenderson@gmail.com
www.afamwilsonnc.com