MACEDONIA AFRICAN METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY

FOUNDED: 1880

ADDITONAL NAMES: Warsaw AME cemetery

AFFILIATION(S):

• Johns Creek Historical Society

HISTORY:

THE CEMETERY

Hidden up a steep winding driveway near one of the busiest intersections in the City of Johns Creek, Georgia is a small African-American cemetery. The Macedonia African Methodist Church Cemetery (also known as Warsaw AME cemetery) is known to be the burial place of at least two who were enslaved and others who were first and second generation descendants of slaves on local farms. The cemetery has been abandoned for years and is in need of headstone repairs, identification of unmarked graves, and research to learn about those buried on the site.

The Johns Creek Historical Society involvement- Several years ago, the Johns Creek Historical Society took on the project of preserving and improving the cemetery by working with the City and by researching those buried at the site. This project is led by Board Member Kirk Canaday.

Our efforts follow those of others. In 1998, the Warsaw Historic Preservation Society was formed and through their efforts, Fulton County obtained a maintenance easement to the property. The group also tried to have an overlay historic district formed for the area surrounding the intersection of Medlock and State Bridge roads. In 2016, Preserve Johns Creek contracted an archaeological survey by New South Associates that mapped marked graves and potential unmarked graves.

BCN Contact Information:

Johns Creek Historical Society

info@johnscreekhistory.org

johnscreekhistory.org

CEDAR KEY CEMETERY

FOUNDED: 1888, but its graves date back to 1872

ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A

AFFILIATION(S): N/A

HISTORY:

The Cedar Key Cemetery project scope of work was contracted by Digital Heritage Interactive LLC. The results of this project includes an interactive map based on the field mapping of approximately 1,250 marked burials and other cemetery furniture (e.g., walls, benches) in the Cedar Key Cemetery. This interactive map and the GIS that informs it also includes the results of a GPR survey to identify subsurface anomalies. This project provides new historical information through a complete inventory of all marked burials (as of June 2022) as well as GPR survey of 18 grids containing approximately 90 unmarked burials.

BCN Contact Information:

Edward Gonzalez-Tennant

edward.gonzaleztennant@utrgv.edu

MOFFETT CEMETERY

FOUNDED: 1888

ADDITONAL NAMES: St. Petersburg Cemetery

AFFILIATION(S):

• The African American Cemetery Alliance of Tampa Bay

• University of South Florida

HISTORY:

Moffett Cemetery was founded in 1888 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Originally designated for Civil War veterans, Moffett Cemetery was later used for African American burials. Moffett cemetery, as well as neighboring Evergreen and Oaklawn cemeteries, operated until 1926 when all three properties were closed and condemned by order of city officials. Per city ordinance, persons buried at Oaklawn, Evergreen and Moffett cemeteries were to be relocated based on race, with African Americans moved to Lincoln Cemetery and whites moved to Royal Palm Cemetery. The site now sits beneath the interstate which leads in and out of downtown St. Petersburg.

BCN Contact Information:

Antoinette Jackson

atjackson@usf.edu

https://heritagelab.org/

OAKLAWN CEMETERY

FOUNDED: 1905

LOCATION: St. Petersburg, FL

AFFILIATION(S):

• The African American Alliance of Tampa Bay

• University of South Florida

HISTORY:

The former site of Oaklawn Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida is located on land which now serves as VIP Lot 1 parking lot at Tropicana Field. The site was segregated by section after neighboring Evergreen Cemetery (designated for African American burials) required space to expand. The cemetery operated until 1926 when it was decided by city officials to close and condemn the Oaklawn site, as well as nearby Moffett and Evergreen cemeteries. Per city ordinance, persons buried at Oaklawn were to be relocated based on race, with African Americans moved to Lincoln Cemetery and whites moved to Royal Palm Cemetery.

BCN Contact Information:

Antoinette Jackson

atjackson@usf.edu

https://heritagelab.org/

EVERGREEN CEMETERY

Click here for full site brief

FOUNDED: 1905

LOCATION: St. Petersburg, FL

AFFILIATION(S):

• The African American Cemetery Alliance of Tampa Bay

• University of South Florida

HISTORY:

The former site of Evergreen Cemetery was established in 1905 in St. Petersburg, Florida. As a segregated cemetery, the site was designated specifically for African American burials until such time that expansion into neighboring Oaklawn cemetery (segregated by section) was required. Both Evergreen and Oaklawn sites, as well as Moffett cemetery, operated until 1926 when all three properties were closed and condemned by order of city officials. Per city ordinance, persons buried at Evergreen, Oaklawn, and Moffett cemeteries were to be relocated based on race, with African Americans moved to Lincoln Cemetery and whites moved to Royal Palm Cemetery. The site now sits underneath interstate 175, one of the cities main thoroughfares.

BCN Contact Information:

Antoinette Jackson

atjackson@usf.edu

http://heritagelab.org