Centuries Old Black Gravesites Offer Insight Into Restorative Strength

In 2013, while engaging in construction efforts in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, the remains of 36 individuals of African descent were discovered in an unmarked 18th-century burial site. For two centuries, such burial spaces, particularly in former slave states, have been neglected or obscured—paved over by developments or left unattended. Descendant communities from cities like Bethesda, Maryland, and Richmond, Virginia, are advocating for recognition of these historically significant areas. I co-direct the Anson Street African Burial Ground project in Charleston, which honors the 36 ancestors unearthed in 2013. This initiative signifies an increasing acknowledgment of African American burial grounds as vital historical sites, fostering healing and understanding. Historically, enslaved individuals were denied access to white cemeteries, and today, many Black burial grounds face threats from gentrification and climate change. Community-led efforts like the Anson Street project promote dignity and remembrance, linking contemporary communities with their ancestral pasts through meaningful rituals.