Woodlawn Cemetery (Historic African American Section)

Mar 17

Written by Sarajane Smith

Site Brief:

Founded: 1915

Location: Fort Myers, FL

Additional name(s): Woodlawn Section of Fort Myers Cemetery

Affiliate group(s):

A Voice in the Wilderness Empowerment Center

History:

Woodlawn Cemetery in Fort Myers, Florida is a historic burial ground that holds the remains of African American families from across Southwest Florida, including residents of Immokalee who were denied burial access in Collier County during the era of segregation. The Woodlawn section of Fort Myers Cemetery (owned by the City of Fort Myers) was created around 1915 as the area used for Black burials during segregation. Because Black residents were barred from many white cemeteries, families were forced to bury their loved ones in Fort Myers. Woodlawn therefore became a regional resting place for Black agricultural workers, families, and children whose lives were tied to the farming communities of Immokalee and the surrounding areas. The cemetery contains both marked and unmarked graves and stands as physical evidence of the racial restrictions that shaped burial practices in Southwest Florida.

Research into Lee County's historical documentation identifies both Woodlawn and nearby Oakridge Cemetery, also located in Fort Myers, FL, as burial grounds associated with Fort Myers' historic Black community. Woodlawn Historical Black Cemetery and Oakridge Cemetery are connected through the history of segregation, ancestral burial grounds, and Black families whose roots extend throughout Southwest Florida, including Immokalee, which was part of Lee County before Collier County was established in 1923. The significance of these connections extends beyond cemetery boundaries, bringing attention to generations of Ancestors whose identities, burial records, family relationships, and resting places deserve to be recovered, documented, and preserved. Recent efforts to preserve and research the history of Woodlawn Cemetery and the local historic Black community has been completed by Ramona Miller with "A Voice in the Wilderness Empowerment Center", whose mission is to ensure these historical Black cemeteries and the Ancestors resting within them are not forgotten.

Today Woodlawn Cemetery remains a sacred site of memory, lineage, and community history. The graves represent generations whose labor helped build the agricultural and civic foundations of the region but whose burial rights were limited by segregation. Families still visit the site to honor loved ones, including the burials of infants. Recent development constructed immediately adjacent to the cemetery has raised serious concerns regarding the protection of burial boundaries, the preservation of graves, and the continued dignity of those interred at this historic African American burial ground.