[honeygrl]

I've lived here all my life and never even knew that graveyard existed.

[honeygrl]

B/C ping? The graveyard is graves of only black people as I understood the article. I don't really know much of the history of this graveyard, but it says it was created in 1882 so I can only assume they had whites only and blacks only graveyards then?

[EllaMinnow]

http://www.visitathensga.com/afr_amer_tour.cfm

Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery
The cemetery was established in 1882 for Athenians of African descent as a result of a burial insurance program called The Gospel Pilgrim Lodge. Members paid a dime a week to be guaranteed a big funeral. Prominent Athenians with grave sites at Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery include Charles S. Lyons, Sr., school principal; Monroe “Pink” Morton, prominent businessman; newspaperman William Pledger; and Madison “Matt” Davis, a former slave who became a Georgia legislator during Reconstruction and Athens’ first black postmaster. To commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday in January 2002, Michael Thurmond and local volunteers held a cleanup day at the cemetery.

[mtbopfuyn]

The Gospel Pilgrim Society, a membership group which offered burial insurance, founded the cemetery in 1882 on land purchased from Elizabeth Talmadge.

1882 isn't that old for a cemetery so why is it all but forgotten? I'm sure you're not the only one who's lived there all you lives who didn't know anything about it. According to the map, it's right next to another cemetery (white?) and a church. Is the church white or black? Why didn't the church keep it up? Why don't the families of these so called "prominent Athens' African-American citizens" care about their parents and grandparents enough to visit and take care of their graves? 3,000 relatives! Dayum, are they French?!? Why doesn't the insurance company have records of who is buried and where? And why, for heaven's sake, do they have to get state grant monies to clear it out??? I know the journalist intended for this to be a feel-good piece and the, cough, "good" citizens of Athens are patting themselves on their backs for doing such a good deed, but I find it deplorable and disgusting. In Texas, most of the cemeteries (yes, I'm sure someone can name one or two that are the exception) are maintained by the families or the community. Where I'm going to be resting is in podunkville but the small community gets together every Mother's Day at the cemetery to do whatever work is needed beyond the usual grounds keeping. Even the small family and community cemeteries that are no longer in use (you know what I mean) are maintained by either the current land owners, the historical society, or neighbors and these are older than 1882.

[ErnBatavia]

I've lived here all my life and never even knew that graveyard existed.

I'm sure the kudzu ate it up...