Listen. This soil whispers stories of restoration and respect. We are at Guy Cemetery. This is not just any burial ground. It is a testament to lost history and community collaboration.
Guy Cemetery holds the stories of those often forgotten. It shows how communities can come together to preserve the past. The story of Guy Cemetery is intertwined with the efforts to restore historic Black cemeteries throughout Texas. Many of these cemeteries have suffered neglect and abandonment over the years.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined forces with local organizations. They aimed to restore these sacred spaces. Their work goes beyond mere cleanup. It involves identifying those buried here and building their family histories.
Donald Williams is a caretaker for Evergreen Negro Cemetery. He collaborates with various groups, including Latter-day Saints. Williams said they are creating a map. This map will show the locations of all headstones.
Approximately 5000 people are buried at Evergreen. They include former slaves, Buffalo soldiers, and World War I veterans. Sadly only a fraction of these graves have been identified so far. But new discoveries happen every week.
Dr. W.W. Jones founded Project R.E.S.P.E.C.T.. This organization is dedicated to researching, documenting, recovering, restoring, and protecting abandoned cemeteries. Jones discovered Evergreen in the 1990s. At that time it was completely overgrown. You couldn’t even tell it was a cemetery.
Project R.E.S.P.E.C.T. played a crucial role in Texas legislation. In 1995 a law passed allowing nonprofits to take over abandoned cemeteries. Jones and Williams are working together. They want to restore Guy Cemetery, identify graves, and construct family trees. Genealogy is critical to finding our ancestors Jones said.
Local Latter-day Saints saw this as a service opportunity. It evolved into a pilot project with FamilySearch. It became a community-outreach initiative. Elder Sean Douglas said they are just getting started.
Elder Albert E. Haines met with Williams and Jones. They discussed how Latter-day Saints could help. Haines said it is about serving the community. It supports their efforts to identify and appreciate a heritage that has been largely ignored.
Following the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865 freed slaves migrated to rural southeast Texas. For about 100 years Jim Crow laws marginalized African Americans. Segregation was enforced in every aspect of life. This included cemeteries.
These Black cemeteries hold a treasure trove for African American family history research. FamilySearch is working with Brigham Young University’s Record Linking Lab. They aim to identify those buried in Black cemeteries. The lab uses automated tools to pull information from Texas death records.
Dr. Joseph Price oversees the Record Linking Lab. He said death records let them know where people should be. Even if they can’t read the gravestone. This helps them identify ancestors.
John and Denise Allen coordinate the Black Heritage Initiative. They identify Black cemeteries and work with trustees. Then they help stake leaders adopt a cemetery. They mobilize resources to beautify the site and build family trees.
The initiative is about pure service. It helps people connect to their ancestry. It builds bridges of understanding appreciation recognition and mutual respect.
Guy Cemetery is a reminder of the importance of preserving history. It underscores the power of community collaboration. It serves as a place of remembrance and reflection. It also shows the ongoing efforts to honor those who rest here.