The Ask an Expert series features Q + A’s with people who are experts in a particular field or who have a depth of knowledge around historic preservation. We ask experts a variety of short answer questions and ask for their advice to Black preservation projects and leaders.
Would you be willing to be featured as an expert? Send us an email here.
Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how you became involved in African American history and heritage consulting?
I graduated from the University of South Carolina with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and History and a Master’s degree in Public History with a concentration in Historic Preservation. I have worked at the SC State Museum as an educator and work as a Weekend Tour Guide at Historic Columbia. I really got involved with African American history with my undergraduate thesis where I used my journey with my own genealogical research to discuss the benefits of using online genealogical sites and how to branch out to find your ancestors. That continued through grad school where my master’s thesis was on African Americans as an enslaved population under the Cherokee Nation and how Native people as enslavers compared to white enslavers. That background of looking for information that is not readily available gave me the creative thinking skills that are needed for a job like African American History Consultant.
Q: What are some of the unique challenges faced in preserving African American historical sites, and how do you approach these challenges?
A lot of the challenges that I have noticed are interconnected. Sometimes a group will have a structure that is important to African American history but the building could be falling apart. Why is it falling apart? Because no one has been able to keep up with maintaining the property. Why is no one maintaining the property? This question has two answers: 1) the place’s history may have been forgotten so no one knows the importance of the building and/or 2) the individual/group associated with the structure do not have the funds to maintain the structure. When groups call me at SCDAH, I always ask them to tell me about the structure, the history behind it, who interacted with it and then I ask them what their goal is with the site. Most of the time they just want to know what is out there for them: more history, grants to stabilize the building, or even other groups that are experiencing the same thing. Each project, each group, each structure is going to be different, it’s important to listen, assess, and then provide the resources most beneficial to them. For example, at SCDAH, I can direct them to the Historical Marker program, the National Register of Historic Places, grant opportunities for funding, tax incentives, and research guidance for the Reference Room, including genealogical resources.
Q: In your experience, how important is community engagement in the preservation of African American cultural heritage, and what methods have proven most effective in fostering this engagement?
Community engagement is where preservation starts. It’s similar to a ripple effect, all it takes is one passionate person or group of people to make the drop and their impact will grow. People get passionate when they see other people’s passion whether it be creating social media where they post updates or applying to conferences and speaking at events about their mission, engagement starts with the grassroots and it may take time but that small ripple can become a giant wave.
Q: Could you highlight a successful project you have been involved in that effectively preserved and promoted African American history? What made it successful?
In my role, I am also the liaison for the SC African American Heritage Commission. At the beginning of 2024, they announced a funding program where they would cover the cost of up to 20 state historical markers that pertained to African American heritage and culture. The program ran for about 4 months and as a result the Commission maxed out the program funding and were able to fund 20 markers. The purpose of the program was to give smaller groups, who were historically deterred because of the cost of a state marker, a chance to preserve history in their area. South Carolina in the coming months will now have 20 new markers covering African American history that, if not for this program, may not have had an opportunity to be presented. The Commission marketed this opportunity in their monthly newsletter and sent flyers to various organizations across the state but ultimately, this program was successful because of local communities and their passion for future generations to know and learn about the past. For history about a school, a church, a cemetery, or a tenement settlement, to not be lost and to be forever remembered.
Q: How do you think technology and digital tools are impacting the field of African American heritage preservation?
In an age where technology is making the world go round, it has made a major impact on African American heritage preservation. Many groups have a social media page or a website where they update the progress of their efforts. There are Google maps that can point out specific historic sites like the SCDAH Historical Marker map. There are digital collections at museums like IAAM that are accessible from a person’s personal computer. Technology is allowing people to connect to African American heritage in a way that for decades has been difficult to do and this is because along with advancements in technology, there has been an increase in wanting to know about Black history. People are curious about who came before them and how their actions impact the future and technology is allowing people to take that first step in learning that information.
The Learning Lab series provides practical tips, advice, and guidance on specific historic preservation topics that are relevant to African American preservation projects. We hope these posts help community members and leaders better navigate the complexities of historic preservation work successfully.
Short Description of topic
Cemeteries are essential historical repositories, encapsulating the legacies of generations. In South Carolina, African American burial grounds and cemeteries are of immense cultural and historical significance, often containing the untold stories of resilience and achievement. Here are ten tips for individuals and communities dedicated to preserving these sacred spaces, including detailed methods to enhance research and documentation efforts and a list of supportive resources available within South Carolina.
10 Tips for Preserving African American Burial Grounds and Cemeteries in South Carolina
1. Document Everything
Comprehensive documentation is crucial. Record names, dates, and inscriptions on gravestones with photographs and written records. Use Find A Grave or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to accurately identify and map grave locations, if available, to ensure that such details can be considered in future site planning.
2. Engage the Community
Preservation is a collective effort, often requiring input and support from others. Engaging local residents, schools, and organizations in your efforts can foster a shared commitment to preserving historic sites. Try hosting a series of community meetings, create newsletters, or start social media groups to raise awareness, share research/findings, and collect any pertinent information that could be used to further tell the story of your site(s).
3. Research Historical Significance
Start preliminary research about the history of the cemetery and those interred within it. Local archives, libraries, and online databases, such as Ancestry or Newspapers.com, can offer valuable insights about these subjects. Gathering oral histories from community elders and families connected to the cemetery can ensure that invaluable personal stories and information not found in written records can be included in your documentation of the site(s). Partner with local colleges or universities for academic support in research and documentation efforts, if desired.
4. Seek Legal Advice
Understanding the legal status of the burial ground is essential. Legal professionals can clarify ownership, rights, and state-specific laws protecting historic cemeteries. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in the state of South Carolina lacks the financial resources and legal authority for maintaining historic cemeteries, acquiring them, or enforcing cemetery protection laws. For general resources for saving historic cemeteries, visit the South Carolina Department of Archives and History here. For questions or additional information about perpetual care cemetery regulations, contact the South Carolina Perpetual Care Board. For non-perpetual care cemeteries, descendants of the interred are typically the primary regulators of their respective site(s). In many cases, a non-perpetual care cemetery may be stewarded by a nonprofit organization or private entity or individual. This information can be found through deeds or plat records located at your local register of deeds or assessor’s office.
5. Apply for Grants and Funding:
Funding for most cemetery projects is primarily sourced locally from non-public entities and relies on volunteer efforts for maintenance. There is no state agency equipped with the legal authority or financial means to maintain cemeteries. While SC Code 6-1-35 allows, but does not require, a municipality or county to preserve or protect any cemetery within its jurisdiction that has been abandoned or is not being maintained, additional funding can be sought through grants aimed at historic preservation. Numerous organizations provide resources and funding opportunities for projects dedicated to preserving historical sites, including African American cemeteries. It is advisable to contact local heritage or conservation commissions to stay informed about the latest funding opportunities relevant to the documentation, interpretation, or maintenance of your sites.
6. Establish Regular Maintenance:
Organize clean-up and maintenance days to keep the cemetery in respectful condition. This includes clearing overgrowth, fixing damaged gravestones, and ensuring accessibility, preserving the dignity of the site.
7. Promote Educational Programs:
Partner with local schools, historical societies, and community centers to develop educational programs connected to the site. Highlighting the cemetery’s history and importance can build broad support for preservation efforts, integrating these sites into the wider community narrative.
8. Leverage Technology
If accessible, use technology to raise awareness and funds. Digital platforms can facilitate crowdfunding, create virtual tours, or establish digital archives, making the cemetery’s history accessible worldwide and engaging more people in its preservation efforts.
9. Partner with Preservation Organizations
Collaborate with preservation groups for expertise, resources, and support. These partnerships can augment your efforts with professional guidance and additional resources, enhancing the effectiveness of any preservation activities.
10. Plan for the Future
Develop a long-term preservation plan. Establishing a trust or endowment can ensure ongoing care and protection, safeguarding the cemetery for future generations.
The Featured Projects series focuses on historic preservation projects focused on preserving Black history throughout SC. Each project is asked to respond to four prompts. We hope this series helps bring awareness to the stunning number and variety of preservation projects being undertaken across the state, highlights the dedication of our community leaders, and inspires future generations of projects.
Want to feature your preservation project? Send us an email here.
Provide a brief summary of your project, making sure to include why it’s important for African American historic preservation.
Restoring Black Cemeteries is a passion project and another way to explore not only my genealogy but also assist others in learning about their family lineage. We focus on recovering headstones and emplacing missing headstones.
What motivated you/your community/your team to begin this project?
We have seen individuals that cannot afford headstones/gravestones or afford to maintain them once they are emplaced. This is one way we can assist a family and ensure their family member is honored. My involvement in this project is ongoing in an advisory capacity and hands on when required. Key factors in preserving gravestones include:Explaining how to safely clean and preserve gravestones both granite and marble. Make sure to use certain chemicals that are environmentally friendly.Making sure that gravesites are marked with names, dates, location are preserved and kept in some type of ledger.I can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure names and dates are correct.
What challenges have you faced in this project?
The challenges faced are getting others to step up if we are to continue to preserve our history, legacy…etc. So much history has gotten away from us by not paying attention to detail.
How have you solved problems and found solutions? What advice would you give to others doing this kind of work?
Make sure to do your research – ensuring that names and dates are correct, verifying information in multiple ways (family history, documents, etc), and knowing information about the specific cemeteries and graveyards themselves (for eg, are they connected to an active church or a no longer existing church, etc). Use FindaGrave.com to help find people you are looking for and for cemeteries that might be neglected or forgotten about. Create a volunteer group that has regular meetings and “work days” who go out to the cemetery to maintain the plots, markers, and landscapes. Apply for a State Historical Marker to document the site of the cemetery.
