I would first like to say how deeply honored I am to be selected as one of the winners of the “Blogging Your Dreams” contest.
During the upcoming months, I will share my experiences on how I go about fulfilling my dream of starting a Cemetery Preservation and Cemetery Tourism program for Eden Cemetery. Located in Collingdale, Pennsylvania, Eden Cemetery comprises 53 rolling acres, and is the oldest, public African American owned cemetery in the United States.
You might ask why a cemetery preservation project? What is cemetery tourism? Why is this important? It is important because “History Matters.”
Cemeteries are not just final resting places of our ancestors, but they are outdoor museums, sculpture gardens, and historical & genealogical repositories. To genealogists, scholars, and historians, cemeteries offer researchers clues to family relations, economic status, beliefs, and cultural customs. Cemeteries also have the ability to keep the history and legacies of the interred alive.
Cemetery Tourism is a growing niche industry within the growing Cultural & Heritage Tourism Industry. Historic cemeteries have found the need to pursue creative public outreach programs to assist with their long-term preservation projects. With the growing interest in genealogy and living history programs, many cemeteries see an opportunity to serve as outdoor living history and interpretive centers.
Laurel Hill Cemetery, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an excellent model on how a cemetery has re-branded itself as a tourist destination. They sponsor a full range of weekend educational and interpretative programs that offer something for everyone. With Laurel Hill being the final resting place for twelve of the Titanic victims, each year they sponsor an internationally known nine-course Titanic Dinner, Lecture and Tour. This year’s program will mark the 96th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Titanic.
Eden Cemetery is at a unique time to begin a preservation and tourism program because of their many famous African American interments. The State of Pennsylvania is currently planning the Sesquicentennial (150th) of the Civil War, which will occur from 2011- 2015. With these celebrations, millions of dollars will be spent on re-telling the Civil War, Enslavement, The Underground Railroad and other historical aspects of this period of United States History.
Eden Cemetery is well positioned to become part of these Civil War activities and other historical events because it is the final resting home for many important abolitionists such as:
- William Still (Father of the Underground Railroad in Philadelphia)
- Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (Writer, Lecturer, Underground Railroad Conductor)
- Octavius Valentine Catto (Educator, Intellectual, Civil Rights Activist, and Baseball Player)
- Absalom Jones (Abolitionist, and Co-founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church)
Imagine the living history and musical programs that can be developed around Marian Anderson (World Renowned Opera Singer) and Rev. Charles Albert Tindley (Father of Gospel Music) who are also interred at Eden Cemetery. There are generations of people who have never heard Marian Anderson's music. How many people knew Rev. Charles Albert Tindley was the Father of Gospel Music?
The possibilities of Eden Cemetery being the next tourism destination place by establishing educational programs and tours around a host of subjects and interred members of Eden Cemetery are endless. It only requires a vision and some hard work.
Since I believe in the philosophy of copying success instead of reinventing the wheel; I will be seeking out advice, suggestions, books, articles, seminars, websites and blogs from people who have already gone through many different phases of a cemetery preservation project. I want to see what is the next technology being used for cemetery mapping and how “environmentally efficient ” products can be used in the operation of a cemetery.
Thank you, Washington Post Newsweek Interactive for allowing me to nationally showcase a cemetery preservation project that is an essential piece of American History.
Stay tuned.....
Comments (3)
From a genealogist perspective.... "in each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve.
They are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one...In finding them, we somehow find ourselves....
It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who we are ....
It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying we can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of our bones and flesh of our flesh. It goes to doing something about it.
It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today.
It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.
It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do.
With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us.
So, as a scribe, we tell the stories of our family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers.
That, is why we do genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones."
- an anonymous genealogist
Posted by Thanks to Tom Dunn | April 4, 2008 5:24 AM
Posted on April 4, 2008 05:24
Dear (cousin) Melissa,
First of all congratulations on your winning and on your energy and initiative in pursuing this project. I am contacting you because I had not been aware of your expertise in the area of genealogy and family history. I have recently cleared out my mother's (Aunt Mil's) house and now have piles of material that I want to compile -perhaps annotate - and preserve in one place for the future. I would love to get your advice on all this.
Connie (McDougald)
Posted by Connie McDougald | April 5, 2008 3:20 PM
Posted on April 5, 2008 15:20
What an interesting area to pursue!! From your comments, there is a tremendous amount of HIstory that can be taught and discussed from the depths of Eden.... especially to our young people who know so little about Black History and even less about the struggle to achieve equality!! Good Luck in your endeavors; I am certain that we will all beneifit from your digs!!
Posted by Allie Holloway | April 9, 2008 5:30 PM
Posted on April 9, 2008 17:30