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:
Mount Ararat Cemetery
Mount Ararat Cemetery
FOUNDED: 1869
ADDITIONAL NAMES: Greenwood Cemetery
AFFILIATION(S): 95 Counties TN
HISTORY: Mount Ararat Cemetery, established in 1869, is the oldest organized African American cemetery in Nashville and one of the most historically significant Black burial grounds in Tennessee. Founded by Black civic and religious leaders during Reconstruction, it was created as a burial place for Nashville's newly emancipated African American community after the Civil War. Prior to this, many enslaved and free Black residents were buried in segregated sections of the Nashville City Cemetery or in white-owned family cemeteries. The cemetery became a symbol of self-determination, reflecting the efforts of Black Nashvillians to build and sustain their own institutions in the decades following emancipation. It is the final resting place of thousands of African Americans, including veterans, educators, ministers, business leaders, artists, and community pioneers whose lives helped shape Nashville's history.
Mount Ararat Cemetery holds profound significance for both the local community and Black history because it preserves the stories of generations who endured slavery, fought for freedom, built thriving Black neighborhoods, established churches and schools, and laid the foundation for Nashville's African American civic and cultural life. During periods when Black communities were excluded from many public institutions, the cemetery served as a sacred space of remembrance, dignity, and community identity. Restoration efforts helped reclaim its historical importance, ensuring that the legacy of those buried there would not be lost. Mount Ararat stands as both a place of remembrance and an enduring testament to the resilience, leadership, and contributions of African Americans in Nashville and throughout Tennessee.
BCN Contact Information:
Stephanie Johnson
Cemetery for the Enslaved at The Hermitage
Cemetery for the Enslaved at The Hermitage
FOUNDED: 1804
ADDITIONAL NAMES: Andrew Jackson's Hermitage
AFFILIATION(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. Evidence long indicated the presence of a burial ground, but 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 provides material evidence of the lives and deaths of enslaved individuals at The Hermitage, a site historically interpreted primarily through the life of Jackson. 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.
BCN Contact Information:
Cody Youngblood