SITE DIRECTORY
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Mount Hope Cemetery
MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1875
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
Mount Hope Cemetery, located in Martinsburg, West Virginia, holds a significant place in the local community and in the broader history of African Americans in the region. Founded in the late 19th century, Mount Hope became the final resting place for many prominent African Americans who played pivotal roles in the community.
The cemetery served as a burial ground for formerly enslaved individuals, Civil War veterans, prominent community leaders, and ordinary citizens. It stands as a testament to the resilience and strength of the African American community in the face of adversity. Many notable individuals are buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, including veterans of the Civil War and other conflicts, as well as prominent local figures such as educators, business leaders, and civil rights activists. Their graves serve as reminders of the contributions African Americans have made to the local community and to the broader history of the United States.
Mount Hope Cemetery is not just a burial ground; it is a place of remembrance and reflection, where the stories of those who came before us are preserved for future generations. Its significance to the local community and to black history cannot be overstated, making it a site of great importance and reverence.
BCN Contact Information:
Devin Dozier
mthopecemeterywv@gmail.com
Green Hill Historic African American Cemetery
GREEN HILL HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1872
ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A
AFFILIATION(S): N/A
HISTORY:
In September, 2017, a group of Martinsburg, West Virginia residents formed a committee to look into the possibility of restoring the long abandoned Green Hill African American Cemetery. This .6 acre site is adjacent to Green Hill Cemetery, referred to as the "White Cemetery" as African Americans were not permitted to be buried there. Over the years, our site had been used as dumping area for their landscaping debris and it was generally used as a community dumping ground, with trash and discarded appliances. It was completely overgrown. In December of that year, a small group of volunteers met at the site to start work. Some 300 trees were cut down together with stumps that have been pulled and hauled away. On November 21, 2020, a dedication was held to acknowledge those buried there.
Since that time, volunteers have continued to maintain the landscaping, add improvements. Benches have been added, a stone cross has been placed on the site, a sign has been erected and the group has been established as a 501c(3) organization. Thanks to fund raising and local grants, a survey was done and determined that this plot of land did not convey to the Green Cemetery when the land was originally purchased for their cemetery in 1854. The surveyors uncovered a record from 1872 where a group of African Americans purchased the plot for $100 and became the original trustees. Our group retained a lawyer and it was discovered through a state statute that if we were able to find five descendants of an individual buried in the cemetery, we could petition the court to name new trustees. This was successfully done and we now have six trustees to oversee the continuing establishment of our cemetery. We are aware there are two lynching victims in the cemetery and it was the descendants of one of them, Joe Burns, which allowed this to be accomplished. We are continuing to make improvements, including having ground penetrating radar done, which located 225 graves, 20 of infants and children. We have raised funds to erect a fence between the two cemeteries.
BCN Contact Information:
Nancy Oudekerk
nmyster@comcast.net
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