African-American » Cemeteries & Funerals

(Mostly) African American Funeral Programs

From Renate Sanders.

African American Funeral Programs from the East Central Georgia Regional Library

The African American Funeral Programs from the East Central Georgia Regional Library online collection consists of over one thousand funeral programs ranging from 1933 to 2008 (with the bulk of the collection beginning in the 1960s) from the Eula M. Ramsey Johnson Memorial Funeral Program Collection. A majority of the programs are from churches in Augusta, Georgia, and the surrounding area, with a few outliers in other states such as New York and Florida. The programs typically contain a photograph of the deceased, an obituary, a list of surviving relatives, and the order of service. The collection provides extensive genealogical information about the deceased, including birth and death dates, maiden names, names of relatives, past residences, and place of burial. Alongside this genealogical information, the obituaries provide a rich source of local history about African Americans. Many of the people included in this collection were prominent in their communities, and many were involved locally in the struggle for civil rights.

African-American Cemeteries in Albemarle and Amherst Counties

Birmingham Public Library - Local Databases - Shadow Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery Interments

Shadow Lawn was originally deeded in 1889 as a "colored" burial ground and is the largest African American cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama.

Black Cemetery Network

From the University of South Florida, Heritage Research Lab. The Black Cemetery Network [BCN] was founded in response to the national call to action to raise awareness about the issue of erasure and silencing of black cemeteries throughout the U.S. These cemeteries contain stories about people, place, and families which are often missing from the larger public narrative. Our network connects living records of forgotten histories through research, advocacy, and collaboration.

Black Pearls of Genealogy

Our current campaign, the Headstone and Monument Project, aims to replace headstones or install a monument for the formerly Enslaved, Black and Indigenous People of Color (“BIPOC”) that are either missing or beyond repair, due to years of neglect, vandalism, weathering, or age. As a non-profit organization, Black Pearls of Genealogy strives to recognize and preserve the history, heritage, and legacy of those who sacrificed so much for us. Our site will also provide research tools to help find historical information of the member laid to rest.

Buffalo African American Funeral and Obituary Collection

From the E. H. Butler Library, Archives & Special Collections.

Community and Place: A Study of Four African American Benevolent Societies and their Cemeteries

By Kimberly Martin, Clemson University.

FamilySearch Wiki - African American Cemeteries

Find a Grave - Fairview Cemetery

Fairview Cemetery is an important vestige of the African American community in Staunton and Augusta County, Virginia. For 140 years, families and friends have entrusted the caretakers of this place with the remains of their loved ones.

God's Little Acre - America's Colonial African Cemetery

African American Burial Ground of Newport, Rhode Island.

History of African-American Cemeteries

Homegoing (Wikipedia)

"A homegoing (or home-going) service is an African-American Christian funeral tradition marking the going home of the deceased to the Lord or to heaven. It is a celebration that has become a vibrant part of African American history and culture."

Santa Fe's African American Graveyard Rabbit

This blog is a member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits.

SCIWAY - History of African-American Cemeteries

Texas African American Cemetery Registry

The African American Historic Cemeteries of Portsmouth Virginia

A friends group of descendants and volunteers of the African American Cemeteries of Portsmouth: The Mt. Calvary Cemetery Complex (est 1879), Lincoln Memorial Cemetery (est 1912), and Grove Baptist Church cemetery (est 1840).

The Mount Giliead AME Cemetery

African American AME Church cemetery located in Bucks County, Buckignham, PA.

To Serve the Living Funeral Directors and the African American Way of Death

Article by Suzanne E. Smith

Volunteers for Freedom: Black Civil War Soldiers in Alexandria National Cemetery

Arranged alphabetically by last name, the database includes information about the soldier's birth date, birthplace, condition/occupation at enlistment, date/place of enlistment, regiment/company, rank, date/place of discharge, post-military activities, and date of death/cause of death as reported by local historian Edward A. Miller, Jr. Wedding dates, names of wives, and names/birth dates of children are included when available. For many soldiers, details beyond the Notes column are available at the library.