Preserving hallowed grounds: West Virginia’s Black cemetery caretakers

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

This story was orginally published on TheRealWV, you can donate to them here!

NOTE: This article incorrectly refers to the “Jefferson County Historic Society.” The organization should have been referred to as the “Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission.”

By Vanta Coda III, RealWV

In southern West Virginia, the Wright Hunter Cemetery in Beckley has a neighborhood built on parts of what was once a vast cemetery. Caretakers Janine Bullock, Mary Wicks, and Beatrice Pannell-Johnson recall hearing stories as children about their friends tripping over headstones in yards surrounding the cemetery.

“This graveyard was much bigger than it is now, the property line used to stretch under this road and along all these houses,” said Wicks. “You know if you’re poor you really have no say in those types of matters, but if we don’t care then no one else in our community will step up to help.”

Many cemeteries, like Wright Hunter Cemetery, rely on Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to help locate bodies within burial sites. Unfortunately, for many Black cemeteries in West Virginia, the cost of GPR services can be prohibitively expensive, as they often face other pressing maintenance priorities. This situation is particularly challenging for cemeteries that lack burial records, making it difficult to track who is buried there.

On an overcast summer day, Lyndon Willis walks past white wooden crosses placed by the local Scouts of America to mark the graves at Mount Pisgah Benevolence Cemetery in Romney. After walking a short distance, he sits on a blue bench under a pine tree, looking out over the cemetery and toward the looming US 50 roadway, an installation that leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

“The road we were standing on used to be Route 50,” said Willis. “However, years ago, officials decided to straighten it out and planned to negotiate with Mount Pisgah Church to relocate the graves that were located there. Ultimately, they chose not to pay the church for the land or to compensate anyone for moving the graves, so they just poured over them. They are still under there.”

West Virginia is home to thousands of cemeteries, but the exact number is virtually unknown, according to a 2021 report from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History. Among these cemeteries, West Virginia’s Black cemeteries are among the most threatened.

Among the headstones at Mount Pisgah, one adorned with a Confederate flag marks the grave site of Alfred Whiting Sr., a Black Confederate soldier.

“I came down to do some cleaning here one day and there’s a group of about 20-30 people here, some in Confederate uniforms, and they were having a ceremony,” said Willis. “They talked about putting a flag for Mr. Whiting as well as a tombstone engraving, but I disagreed with a Confederate flag being put in this cemetery.”

Shaun Jedju looks up at a clearing in the tree canopy above, while some of the headstones at Fraternal Park Cemetery are visible among the underbrush at his feet in Anmoore. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

In some instances, such as in Anmoore, WV, many Black community members expressed a lack of interest in participating in the upkeep of their local cemetery, Fraternal Park Cemetery. However, in 2018, Shaun Jedju and his foundation, the Historic Clarksburg WV Cemetery Preservation Alliance, took on the responsibility of maintaining the grounds.

The Fraternal Park Cemetery was once part of a vibrant logging community of Black residents but has since transformed into an overgrown forest due to years of neglect. In 2018, Jedju was contacted when the cemetery was discovered and subsequently donated to his organization by XTO Energy. However, when reaching out to both the Anmoore and Clarksburg Black communities he was taken aback to learn that a majority of the community wanted nothing to do with the site.

“XTO Energy was looking to donate to a local nonprofit and there were several others that had declined for a variety of reasons and they had looked at our organization because we had already established a reputation of being involved in cemetery preservation and care,” said Jedju. “Even though we were glad to be able to put work into this cemetery, it is crazy to me that a large majority of the Clarksburg Black community didn’t show much interest in helping restore it.”

In addition to being the head of the Historic Clarksburg WV Cemetery Preservation Alliance and the lead caretaker of Fraternal Park Cemetery, Jedju also serves as the West Virginia State House coordinator for Wreaths Across America. This non-profit organization distributes wreaths to be placed on veterans’ gravestones.

“Our primary focus when coming into this cemetery was to do some extensive research on the seven veteran gravesites, who were a part of the color corps in World War I,” said Jedju. “They fought for a country that had not granted them much civil liberties and treated them as second-class citizens. So it was of the utmost importance to make sure that their dignity and their honor is restored and celebrated.”

Ed Cole Jr. stands for a portrait next to one of the century-old oak trees at Oak Hill Cemetery in Moorefield, WV. Oak Hill Cemetery is directly across the street from Olivet Cemetery, which includes a Confederate graveyard and monument. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

In addition to developments, another significant factor contributing to the decline in the maintenance of Black cemeteries is the migration of many Black residents from rural areas in West Virginia. A 2023 article from the African American Intellectual History Society noted that numerous Black communities in Appalachian rural settings have experienced demographic changes, corporate exploitation, and ongoing racial tensions within their communities.

“My uncle Omer took care of the cemetery for a couple of decades because he made a promise to my grandfather that he wouldn’t let the roots and the weeds take over,” said Cole. “When I moved back to Moorefield to take care of my father, Omer passed the torch to me. Now I am not only taking care of my father, but the rest of our ancestors and family members who are up here.”

Oak Hill Cemetery caretaker Ed Cole and his family have witnessed firsthand the racial tensions present in their community, particularly concerning the cemetery they have maintained for many years.

“Many people don’t realize that this was a state cemetery, but they don’t believe in that word in this community, yet they’ll be the first to call it a colored cemetery,” said Cole. “That’s some language that they still use to this day and even in the tax records it still says colored cemetery, not Oak Hill Cemetery, but colored.”

Rev. Ed Hall stands for a portrait at Cedar Hill Cemetery, located in Bolivar, WV. Rev. Hall, who is the last remaining member of the Cedar Hill cemetery board, grew up next to the grounds for a majority of his childhood and knew approximately half of the people buried there. By Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

“Even though I am the last one left from the Cedar Hill board, I am glad I joined, because to me this place is like my little garden.”

Many cemeteries in larger towns have boards that oversee maintenance and manage grants. However, in the case of Cedar Hill Cemetery, caretaker Rev. Ed Hall finds that he is the only member left on the board.

“In 1983, there was a group of nine people that knocked on my door, wanting me to be president of Cedar Hill Cemetery, which I accepted,” said Rev. Hall. “Now I’m the last surviving member of that group of people.”

In 2022, federal legislation established the African American Burial Grounds Preservation Act as part of a program within the National Park Service. The Omnibus Spending Package allows the National Park Service to provide competitive grants and technical assistance to local partners for researching, identifying, surveying, and preserving African American cemeteries.

However, efforts to secure funding for the African American Burial Grounds Preservation Act are still ongoing. This leaves older caretaker boards, such as the one at Spring Grove Cemetery led by Patricia Bannister, uncertain about the reliability of their donations.

“The association typically sends out donation letters around Memorial Day or Black History Month to request contributions from the community,” said Bannister. “However, that is mostly the extent of our activities. It’s a bit disheartening because we are not as active as we once were. Many of the board members have passed away, and even their children are now around my age. It’s just not as feasible for us anymore.”

**Sherard Johnson, the caretaker of Johnsontown Cemetery, stands beside the headstone of his great-great-grandparents, George W. Johnson and Betsy Johnson. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.**

Sherard Johnson watches as a storm approaches over a nearby farm in Leetown, WV. Johnsontown was founded in 1848 by freed slaves George W. Johnson and Betsy Johnson. Many of the families laid to rest in the cemetery are among the first members of the community.

“My mother died in 2002 and was buried here with most of my family’s ancestors, after that I just felt the need to move here and in doing so step in to help maintain this cemetery,” said Johnson. “I’m young enough and my mom’s here, I’ll take care of this.”

Many Black cemeteries face significant challenges, but caretakers like David Harris, who oversees Bethel Cemetery in Huntington, WV, are making a difference. With the support of the Huntington community and volunteers from Marshall University, the cemetery has been restored and is regularly maintained. Harris aims to incorporate Bethel Cemetery into educational initiatives on Black history within the Huntington community.

“While working at Marshall as an adjunct professor, I wanted to help students learn about the African American history of Huntington and highlight the achievements of its African American community,” said Harris. “I’ve organized around 10 or 12 family reunions for Marshall, as well as events for retired individuals, the Lewis Boys Club, and Spring Hill School, in hopes that these experiences will inspire those involved to teach our kids. Our children need to know who these remarkable folks were.”

Light breaks through the trees and onto the headstones of the forest floor as Addison Reese, a commissioner of the Jefferson County Historical Society, stands for a portrait at Boyd Carter Cemetery, in Kearneysville, WV. The cemetery was for a Black community called Hartstown in which many of the community members worked for the nearby railroad. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

“When they were established, many Black cemeteries across the state were located on lands considered undesirable for agriculture or building and referred to as ‘bad ground’ by the surrounding white communities,” said Reese. “Fast forward to today with the influx of commuters living in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle and towns developing rapidly, they have been encroaching upon the areas that were designated for Black cemeteries. This includes new developments, roadways, and, in the case of Boyd (Boyd Carter Cemetery), even manufacturing plants.”

Reese dedicates her time to preserving and maintaining cemeteries in both Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. Among the numerous cemeteries she oversees, she is the primary caretaker of three Black cemeteries.

“There are not a lot of caretakers left for these cemeteries,” said Reese. “I promised the last caretaker who was 96 years old that I would take care of this cemetery and I will fulfill that promise.”

If you want to donate to any of the cemeteries featured in this story please donate to the contacts below:

Wright Hunter Cemetery, Beckley, WV. —- Hunter Cemetery Endowment

Mount Pisgah Benevolence Cemetery, Romney, WV. —- Mail to: Box 193 Romney WV. 26757

Fraternal Park Cemetery, Anmoore, WV. —- Fraternal Park Cemetery Donation

Oak Hill Cemetery, Moorefield, WV. —- Contact: Eacole2000@gmail.com

Cedar Hill, Johnsontown and Boyd Carter Cemeteries, West Virginia Eastern Panhandle —- Cemetery Donations

Spring Grove Cemetery, Parkersburg, WV. —- Mail to: 273 Covington Way Vienna, WV. 26105

Bethel Cemetery, Huntington, WV. —- Contact: keck11@mctc.edu