Whose history matters? An examination of Black vs White cemetery loss

Abstract

Historical Cemeteries across the United States are at risk of being moved, destroyed, and/or abandoned. However, not all cemeteries appear to face this same risk: those belonging to oppressed minority groups are often more vulnerable. In North Carolina, African and African American cemeteries appear to face a higher likelihood of loss compared to White cemeteries due to both historical and continuing patterns of segregation and structural inequalities. Specifically, damage due to farming practices, infrastructure development, erosion and vegetative growth, and neglect appear to impact Black cemeteries at higher rates than White cemeteries. Moreover, historical Black cemeteries are often only discovered after they have been damaged or destroyed during construction or development projects. While there is a growing regional and national concern regarding Black cemetery loss, neither the scale of loss has been quantified nor the relative rate of loss has been compared to White cemeteries. Through a comparison of historical and modern maps of Pitt County, North Carolina, I have identified 63 missing cemeteries. A majority of these cemeteries were primarily white and small, family plots. However, larger municipal and church cemeteries that went missing were more often African American. Through this paper, I will discuss the results of my research, highlighting patterns of cemetery loss as well as concerns for the preservation of Black heritage.