Historic Preservation Projects

“Periwinkle, Yucca, and Cedars.”

“Look for these when you return, my beloved child, and you will find my resting place.”

Many African American parents echoed these words when their adult children left their Black Belt homes, migrating north in search of better lives. The plantings they mention represent just one of our burial ground traditions; others include intermingling the bodies of different family members (reflecting the importance of community over individual) and placing our burials with the head towards the rising sun in the east.

Although many of our customs have been largely forgotten today, ours is a culture with rich traditions. Most are a blend of our history: our African roots, our condition as enslaved Americans, and the adversity we’ve faced as free people. 

Learning and honoring those traditions now can provide a powerful form of community healing, a positive and active testament to the fact that despite all adversity, we stand.

Recent discoveries of forgotten or bulldozed African American cemeteries throughout the U.S. have opened these pathways for community discovery. At the Hamilton Hood Foundation, we have personally experienced this as we’ve discovered and begun restoring the historic Pierce Chapel Cemetery, resting place of two of our great-great-grandparents. It’s a dynamic journey that is enriching our lives tremendously.

Reclamation of Cemetery and Community 

As we proceed today, we are creating a model with the hope of empowering others to come together, make their own discoveries, and honor their past. This reclamation of ancestral history can help our communities heal some of the challenges that naturally come when we don’t understand or acknowledge our past. Gaining clarity can heal wounds that had been left to fester.

Knowing where we came from connects us to the reality of who we are now and can help us make the best choices for moving forward. It’s estimated*, for example, that “nearly one out of every three enslaved children died before adulthood.” Connecting the dots, it’s clear that as African Americans, our great-great grandparents likely suffered from life-long malnourishment and trauma. Since that experience is reflected in our DNA, it’s most likely affecting our health and even our emotional well being.

Two examples. Our ancestors’ malnourishment helps explain, in part, the disproportionally serious health challenges experienced by African Americans today. The adversity and ongoing trauma also help explain some of our community’s ongoing socio-economic challenges. Connecting our dots – making sense of how we have come to where we are today – gives us the clarity we need to grow and thrive.

*https://www.sciway.net/hist/chicora/gravematters-1.html