A Tale of Two Communities: Grave Markers as Illustrations of Marginalization and Self-Determination in African American Cemeteries in Eastern North Carolina

Abstract

Burial practices have long been understood to vary both temporally and culturally. However, little research has been conducted using cemetery trends to compare contemporary historic African American cemeteries in different communities. Ayden and Princeville are two towns in Eastern North Carolina separated by only thirty-five miles and the Tar River. Despite the towns’ proximity, their stories are vastly different. Ayden has been home to both white and African American individuals, often separated by social and economic divisions. Princeville was founded by previously enslaved African Americans who had flocked to the relative safety of a Union Army encampment and is the oldest continually occupied town in the United States founded by African Americans. Though they are similar in size today, both communities have historically existed in very different environments. This research, by comparing trends in gravemarker construction and design, shows how these patterns can represent unique aspects of communities that may otherwise be missed.