African American Cemeteries in Northwest Louisiana
Current cemetery index:
The cemeteries below are located in Northwest Louisiana. They are on our radar for documentation and preservation. There are additional cemeteries listed for Northeast Texas and areas of Houston that share a NW Louisiana connection.
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Northwest Louisiana - Bienville
Blue Ridge Cemetery aka Old Fellowship Cemetery - Bienville Parish (07/01/2011) |
Northwest Louisiana - Bossier
Caldwell Cemetery - Bossier Parish (05/13/10) |
Northwest Louisiana - Caddo
Antioch Cemetery - Caddo Parish (06/02/09) |
Northwest Louisiana - Claiborne
Old Town Cemetery - Claiborne Parish (06/21/11) |
Why are they important?
African-American cemeteries are a resource absolutely essential to understanding African-American ancestry. These fragile, sacred burial grounds are among the most valuable of archaeological and historic riches and oftentimes present the only evidence that our ancestors were a part of the fabric that contributed to the African American culture in Northwestern Louisiana. They show evidence of various settlement patterns, burial practices, cultural and religious influences, economic development, social relationships, and of course genealogy.
"Show me the resting places of your ancestors and I will show you the character of a man"-author unknown
Historical African American cemeteries however are threatened by several sources that we must be aware of such as natural erosion, unkept vegetation, forgetting they exist, vandalism and protection from individuals who are interested in excavating or building on top of these cemeteries for commercial profit with no regards for preservation. Rural African American cemeteries, in particular, face an even bigger threat by local, state and national governmental agencies that should be acting in cooperation assist with preservation yet utilized designated, preservation funding dollars to promote their own agendas.
READ ABOUT OUR PRESERVATION AGENDA
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