Cemeteries, like historic buildings and landscapes, provide critical connections between our past and future. This Giving Tuesday, please consider supporting our Cemetery Preservation Workshop series so we have the capacity to educate more future preservationists, history lovers, and communities across the state and preserve the stories of our past.
Cemeteries, like historic buildings and landscapes, provide critical connections between our past and future. Cemeteries literally contain the physical remnants – human remains – of our past. Cemeteries are evocative and powerful places that speak to descendants and casual visitors equally. Not only do cemeteries memorialize our loved ones who have passed away, they also hold invaluable social, artistic, cultural, and architectural heritage. Cemetery preservation is not only caring for the material history such as grave markers, monuments, and cemetery structures, it brings the community together to honor those who have passed away and the families connected to cemetery sites.
Preservation Maryland and our program, The Campaign for Historic Trades, are hosting cemetery preservation workshops across the state, where participants learn the basic preservation techniques of caring for a cemetery. The first workshop will take place this Saturday, April 30th in Frederick at Mount Olivet Cemetery. The workshop will be led by Jon Appell of Atlas Preservation and Moss Rudley of the Historic Preservation Training Center.
Historic cemetery markers of the Tubman family members at Malone's Church, Madison, MD. Photo by Preservation Maryland.
The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and the Maryland Historical Trust, with the help of several partner organizations, including Preservation Maryland and descendant communities, have recently released a draft study report on Maryland’s Historic African American Cemeteries. The public is being asked to comment on the draft which will inform the final report submitted to the Maryland General Assembly later this summer.
At the request of the Maryland General Assembly in 2021, the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) and the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), along with stakeholders including Preservation Maryland and descentdant communities, are working together on a study that will document the needs of historic African American cemeteries in Maryland.
Despite holding important stories, landscapes, artwork, and genealogical clues, in addition to the remains of those who have gone before us, cemeteries and graveyards face many preservation challenges, including threats from development, abandonment, vandalism, damage and decay, and inadequate legal protections. Historic African American cemeteries are particularly at risk. The study report will look at the needs of these important historic resources, including:
MCAAHC and MHT are seeking public comments on the draft study report and will host a public hearing on the report on Monday May, 23rd at 5PM. The public’s input will help inform the final report, which is set to be released later this summer.