Zion Hill Cemetery
Site Brief:
Founded: 1868
Location: Monroe, Georgia
Additional name(s): Zion Hill Colored Baptist Cemetery
Affiliate group(s):
Preserve & Serve Georgia Inc
History:
Zion Hill Cemetery, a historic African American Baptist Burial Site, was established in 1868 as a “colored cemetery” for the Zion Hill Colored Baptist Church in Monroe, Georgia shortly after the Civil War. Land was purchased by former enslaved man Cyrus Briscoe from his former enslaver, Waters Briscoe. Cyrus sold a portion of the land to church trustees. Church records indicate in 1868, a log cabin was built for use as the “Colored People Church.” In 1870, a wooden structure was built next to the log cabin. The church changed its name to Zion Hill Colored Baptist Church. After a few months, about 20 church members pulled away and formed the Tabernacle Baptist Church. In 1949, Zion Hill Church reunited with the Tabernacle Baptist Church under the name, First African Baptist Church. The church divided in 1953, and the First African Baptist Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church moved to new locations, abandoning the Zion Hill Cemetery site and leaving it vulnerable.
