Black Cemeteries Uncovered

"Connecting The Past"

Project Objective: Research, identify, collect and preserve the history of African American cemeteries.

Phase One

The research period for Phase One of this project was from May 1998 to December 1999. Researchers of this committee published in May 2000 Volume I, Black Cemeteries Uncovered, which consists of over 300 pages of Tomb Stone Inscriptions obtained from 9 cemeteries, all within Pulaski County. In addition to the Tomb Stone Inscriptions, information was taken from over 1000 obituaries.

Kudos to AAHGS-Arkansas and the members of the Black Cemeteries Uncovered Project for their continued dedication in the preservation and documentation of African American Cemeteries.

• Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis, Project Director
• Carla Hines Coleman and Ruth Octavia Hill, Principal Researchers
• Sharon Phillips, Project Secretary
• Dr. Florence Brown, Linda Hampton, LaVerne Lynch, Sharon Reeves and Evelyn Tenpenny, Compilers

• Tom C. Martinet (deceased)
• Ronnie Nichols
• Curtis Sykes
• Paula Taylor
• Dr. LeRoy Williams
• Joining the committee at the close of Phase I was Muriel Carrington and Pearl Johnson

Cemeteries documented in Volume I:

• Brown Cemetery
• Center Ridge/Sand Hill Cemetery
• College Station Cemetery
• Longley/Springhill Cemetery
• Odd Fellows Cemetery-Sweet Home
• Virden Cemetery
• Virginia/Wrightsville Community Cemetery
• Woodson Community Cemetery
• Zion Hill Cemetery-Sweet Home

Please Note: An obituary list follows each cemetery.

Phase Two

We are happy to announce that Phase Two has now been completed. The research period for Phase Two was from May 2000 to December 2001, with Volume II printed May 2002.

Seven (7) cemeteries were documented plus one (1) that was revisited for an update. After the Cemetery Committee lost Mrs. Carrington, her husband, Charlie and daughters, Nique, Joy and Renee, joined and took on Shepherd Cemetery as a project. The Shepherd Cemetery was the resting place of several family members of Mrs. Carrington. Since that time the Carringtons have had the area cleared (no headstones or markers present) and have placed a large granite stone monument in remembrance of those that they know are buried there.

Phase Two Contributors:

• Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis, Project Director
• Carla Hines Coleman and Ruth Octavia Hill, Principal Researchers
• Sharon Phillips, Project Secretary
• Muriel Carrington (deceased), Linda Hampton, Pearl Johnson, LaVerne Lynch, Evelyn Tenpenny and Michelle Thrash, Compilers

Phase Two Scholars:

• Dr. C. Calvin Smith
• Curtis Sykes
• Paula Taylor

• Mayor Lorraine Smith
• Charles Stewart

Cemeteries documented in Volume II:

• Black Campbell Cemetery
• Clark Hill/Cephas Cemetery
• Gospel Temple Cemetery
• Kykendall Cemetery
• Odd Fellows Cemetery/Gabriel Heights
• Mount Zion/Valley Pine Cemetery (Hardscramble)
• Union Cemetery
• Virginia/Wrightsville Community Revisited
• Shepherd/Family Cemetery-Deferred to Phase III (at time of publication)

Phase Three

Joining the group for Phase Three will be Michelle Hood.

Black Cemeteries Uncovered Publications Available for Sale

To find out more about ordering this and other publications, view the publications page>>

Copyright 2004, 2005, 2006 AAHGS Arkansas Chapter