Washington Park Cemetery volunteers vow to correct historic Black gravesite's neglect

[Sherman A1]

In north St. Louis County, near the southeast tip of St. Louis Lambert International Airport and mere steps from I-70, is a century-old Black cemetery. At one point, Washington Park Cemetery was the largest African American cemetery in the St. Louis region.

More than 42,000 people are buried there, including George L. Vaughn, the attorney on the landmark civil rights case Shelley v. Kraemer; Ira Cooper, the first Black sergeant and lieutenant in the St. Louis police; the first principals of Sumner and Vashon high schools; Harris-Stowe State University professors and countless other community leaders.

After decades of desecration, flooding and overgrowth, volunteers are now working to bring Washington Park Cemetery back from the brink.

“Pretty much half of the cemetery now is overgrown into thick brush that makes the graves inaccessible to descendants,” said Aja Corrigan, founder of the Saving Washington Park initiative. She’s spent the past two years bringing awareness, organizing cleanups and trying to get local institutions involved at the cemetery.

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2022-03-25/washington-park-cemetery-volunteers-vow-to-correct-historic-black-gravesites-neglect

[ratchiweenie]

1. This is so cool. The pictures of the restoration are great.