2011-2012 WMS Advisory Community

Service Project

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We’re making a difference!

Greenwood Cemetery

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Founded in 1874, Greenwood Cemetery is the oldest non-sectarian (not belonging to a particular religious group) cemetery for African Americans in St. Louis County.

An estimated 50,000 people are buried there,including an aid to Abraham Lincoln; civil rights leader Charlton Tandy; Harriet Scott, thewife of Dred Scott; veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War; and many great blues musicians, businessmen and educators.

Greenwood Cemetery was listed on The National Register of Historic Places February 24, 2004.

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What happened to Greenwood Cemetery?

With desegregation the need for separate cemeteries eventually ended. By the 1980s all three commercial black cemeteries in the city had been sold to new owners, who soon discovered that there was no money to maintain the facilities. The only source of income was the sale of new plots—and this did not bring in enough money for the maintenance needs at Greenwood. The result was that the cemetery rapidly declined and became a dumping ground and target for vandals.

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The cemetery has become overgrown and many of the historic tombstones have fallen into disrepair.

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Erosion and overgrowth are major problems at Greenwood. Headstones are being lost at an alarming rate.

6Greenwood Cemetery - Aug. 2007 Photo by Etta Daniels

Headstone Reassembled. This stone marking the burial site of Thomas Rogers (1879-1924) was damaged by both erosion and overgrowth.

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8Greenwood Cemetery - Aug. 2007 Photo by Cheryl Nelson

Burial site damaged by overgrowth

9Greenwood Cemetery - Aug. 2007 Photo by Etta Daniels

A tree grew right over the headstone of Benjamin Parham, a member of the United States Army, who died on July 1, 1942.–

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Due to lack of funding for headstone restoration and maintenance an attempt is being made to preserve at least an image of each stone.

In addition to the obvious purpose of identifying the deceased, headstones provide a great deal of information about individuals and their family and community ties.

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What can you tell about this person just from looking at the headstone?

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By looking at his headstone, Erskine D. Johnson appears to be a physician, a Christian, and married. He was almost 77-years-old when he died.

Sometimes headstones can be repaired. A student volunteer is searching for a missing headstone picture by digging around the perimeter of the stone.

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Yea! It was located. Results…

15Greenwood Cemetery - Aug. 2007 Photo by Etta Daniels

Some stones are beyond repair and a piece of history is simply lost.

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We can help photograph some of Greenwood’s headstones and grave markers.

Cheryl Nelson, PhotographerVolunteer

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We can also helpclear away someof the brush/weeds overtaking the cemetery.

Cheryl Nelson, PhotographerVolunteer

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The 31.85 acre cemetery is divided into 22 burial lots .

Between 1874 and 1993, over 50,000 people were buried at Greenwood.

Take a look at how other groups have volunteered their time…

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Chaminade Preparatory School

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Washington University Business School

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The Mormon Church “Helping Hands Program”

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Pattonville High School faculty members

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Normandy High School

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AmeriCorps

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St. Louis RAMS Organization

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The Friends of Greenwood Cemetery has the following on their

“to do” list……

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17 acres of land to be cleared

46 years of death records research needs to be done

9000 headstone photos need to be taken

An endowment fund for perpetual care needs to be established

Greenwood’s Future

Even though it is not open for new burials, Greenwood Cemetery is a significant historical and cultural resource for the St. Louis community.

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Greenwood’s Future

As they build their research files, Greenwood is becoming a source of data for research on African American life during the late 19th and 20th centuries in the St. Louis area.

30 Dr. Field Bleven 1890-1929

They need our help, and as a community, we’re able to give

it.

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Check out this little helper!

Ready to lend a hand?

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Resources:

www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/greenwood/

www.greenwoodcemeterystl.com/

seriousrabbit.blogspot.com/2009/.../greenwood-cemetery-st-louis.html

www.waymarking.com

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