Rehabilitating an African American Cemetery
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GOSPEL PILGRIM’S PROGRESS: REHABILITATING AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY FOR THE PUBLIC by EMMELINE E. E. MORRIS (Under the Direction of Ron Sawhill) ABSTRACT Historic cemeteries are ethnographic landscapes containing vital information for linking individuals to their heritage and culture. African American cemeteries are characteristically unique from their initial establishment to the material culture that survives. These cemeteries are endangered cultural resources; their survival is contingent upon resolving a complex set of issues. Reconnecting African American cemeteries with the public is explored as a means of preservation. Specific issues and opportunities associated with African American cemeteries are identified and addressed in this process. A detailed study of The Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, yields recommendations for rehabilitating a cemetery as a public space. INDEX WORDS: Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery, African American Cemeteries, Colored Cemeteries, Anglo American Cemeteries, Historic Cemeteries, Athens- Clarke County, Cultural Resources, Ethnographic Landscapes, Cemetery Preservation, Heritage Sites. GOSPEL PILGRIM’S PROGRESS: REHABILITATING AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY FOR THE PUBLIC by EMMELINE E. E. MORRIS B.F.A., The University of Georgia, 1992 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ATHENS, GEORGIA 2007 © 2007 Emmeline E. E. Morris All Rights Reserved GOSPEL PILGRIM’S PROGRESS: REHABILITATING AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY FOR THE PUBLIC by EMMELINE E. E. MORRIS Major Professor: Ron Sawhill Committee: Mark Reinberger David Berle Jeanne Cyriaque Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia December 2007 DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the more than 5,000 souls of those buried in Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery and to their homecoming. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am most appreciative to my reading committee for sharing their knowledge, time, interest and invaluable suggestions. Thank you for pushing me to do this effort justice. Major Professor: Ron Sawhill, Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Design Committee Chair: Mark Reinberger, Associate Professor, School of Environmental Design Outside Professor: David Berle, Associate Professor, Horticulture Outside Professional: Jeanne Cyriaque, African American Programs Coordinator, Reflections Editor, Historic Preservation Division, GA DNR A special thanks to my family and friends who helped me along the way: To my husband John for your love and support and never once asking me, “When are you going to finish your thesis?”; to my daughter Elsie who turned three years old and became a big sister during the writing of this thesis—thanks for your patience, love and comic relief; to baby Millie who was born somewhere in the middle of all of this—thanks for your sweet nature and ability to go with the flow; to Mom for cemetery study field work when I was too pregnant to road trip; to Dad for putting those University of Georgia School of Journalism editing skills to good use; to Wilder and Marty for your help with the girls when I was in a pinch; to my co-workers at TJC—thanks for your support! I would also like to thank the organizations and consultants who granted permission for use of their documents and resources: The Jaeger Company, Athens-Clarke County, Gail Tarvor, Southeastern Archeological Services, and East Athens Development Corporation. Special recognition goes to Tina Hulsey with The Jaeger Company for her proofreading skills and encouragement. THANK YOU ALL! v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 Inspiration for Study..................................................................................................1 Purpose of Study .......................................................................................................5 Thesis Organization...................................................................................................5 2 ANGLO AMERICAN CEMETERY EVOLUTION.....................................................7 Eighteenth Century Graveyards ................................................................................7 Nineteenth Century Cemeteries.................................................................................9 Twentieth Century Memorial Parks ........................................................................12 Summary .................................................................................................................14 3 AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERIES....................................................................19 Location...................................................................................................................19 Traditions.................................................................................................................20 Burial Grounds and Gravemarkers..........................................................................24 Landscape................................................................................................................25 Summary .................................................................................................................26 vi 4 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN REHABILITATING AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERIES ........................................................................................................35 Property Ownership.................................................................................................35 King’s Cemetery in Charleston County, South Carolina ..................................36 Community Amenity...............................................................................................37 Mount Olive Cemetery in Clarksville, Tennessee.............................................38 Landscape Management ..........................................................................................38 South Asheville African American Cemetery in Asheville, North Carolina ....40 Site Access and Boundaries ....................................................................................41 Paradise A. M. E. Memorial Gardens in Jefferson, Georgia.............................43 Artifacts...................................................................................................................44 School Street Cemetery in Washington, Georgia..............................................44 Site Understanding ..................................................................................................45 God’s Little Acre in Newport, Rhode Island ....................................................47 Perpetual Care Arrangement and Funding ..............................................................48 Cedars Cemetery in Camden, South Carolina...................................................49 5 DETAILED STUDY: GOSPEL PILGRIM CEMETERY ..........................................63 History and Evolution .............................................................................................63 Site Inventory and Analysis ....................................................................................66 Opportunities and Constraints.................................................................................71 Reconnecting the Cemetery with the Public ...........................................................76 6 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REHABILITATING GOSPEL PILGRIM CEMETERY ...........................................................................................................95 vii Site Legibility..........................................................................................................96 Engaging the Visitor................................................................................................98 Preserving the Past ................................................................................................101 Planning for the Future..........................................................................................102 7 CONCLUSIONS........................................................................................................108 BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................113 APPENDIX..................................................................................................................................118 viii LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 2.1: Grim symbolism carved into slate gravemarker in the early 1700s............................15 Figure 2.2: “The Great Awakening” featured a winged angel as a motif......................................15 Figure 2.3: Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.............................................16 Figure 2.4: Example of architectural gravemarkers in the Egyptian Revival style. ......................16 Figure 2.5: Typical layout of a Memorial Park cemetery..............................................................17 Figure 2.6: Typical monument placement in a Memorial Park cemetery......................................17