Forgotten souls whisper. Their stories etched in time. We stand before the Rosewood Cemetery Plaque in Galveston Texas. This unassuming marker tells a profound tale. It speaks of a community’s resilience. It whispers of lives lived and lost.
Rosewood Cemetery. Galveston’s first African American burial ground. Established in 1911. A testament to a people’s determination to honor their deceased. It began when African American citizens formed the Rosewood Cemetery Association. They purchased over eight acres. This land was near the beach west of Seawall Boulevard. Before Rosewood’s creation African Americans faced segregation. They were barred from most city cemeteries.
The Association sold plots. Individuals churches and organizations contributed. The Norris Wright Cuney Lodge was among them. Plots cost $10 with a $2 grave-digging fee. Children’s plots were cheaper at $6.50. Robert Bailey an infant was the first to be laid to rest on February 1 1912. The last burial was Frank Boyer in June 1944. Records list 411 graves. Today only about 20 markers remain.
The Seawall’s expansion in 1951 caused problems. It blocked Green’s Bayou. This resulted in flooding at Rosewood. The cemetery’s use declined. In the late 1950s the land was sold to developers. By the 1990s Rosewood vanished from many maps. A poignant loss a forgotten piece of Galveston’s history.
John and Judy Saracco stepped forward. In 2006 they donated just over an acre of the original cemetery to the Galveston Historical Foundation. Their act of preservation ensured Rosewood’s legacy would live on. A Texas Historical Commission marker was erected in 2007. It stands as a symbol of remembrance. It is a tribute to the enduring spirit of a community.
The Rosewood Cemetery Plaque stands as a silent guardian. It reminds us of the struggles and triumphs of Galveston’s African American community. It’s a place of reflection. It is a place of remembrance. Let us honor the lives it represents. Let us never forget their story.