Yesterday I witnessed a beautiful thing: people of all ages, races, and backgrounds coming together to commemorate an historic African American cemetery after more than a decade of fundraising and research. Dixonville Cemetery in Salisbury, North Carolina was dedicated yesterday morning in a moving ceremony and tribute to the efforts of a community determined to honor their heritage. There are many similarities between this cemetery and the Green Street Cemetery, the history of which I am very familiar with. My library used grant funds to conduct a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey of Green Street and I’ve spent the better part of two years researching the property and the souls buried there. The Green Street preservation efforts are still in their infancy, whereas the ceremony at Dixonville was the final step in a fourteen-year long journey.
Although the City of Salisbury did not officially acquire the property until 1874, a stone for Mary Valentine, who died in 1851, was discovered during repairs in 2007. This was a huge breakthrough which proved that burials were happening before the first documentation of the cemetery. I wish that we could make such a groundbreaking discovery at Green Street. After the GPR survey, we probed where the radar picked up anomalies and uncovered four partials and five full headstones, but nothing was earlier than 1886.
In 2006, residents of Salisbury expressed interest in restoring the marks at Dixonville and recognizing the cemetery as a historic site. Following the dedication of the historic marker in 2009, more efforts were completed to fully inventory the cemetery and beautify the location. A task force was assembled and worked closely with city staff to determine community needs and desires for a memorial. The Dixonville-Lincoln Memorial Task Force consisted of eighteen dedicated citizens, six of whom have sadly passed since the beginning of this project. Having a designated group with a leadership hierarchy is crucial for a project of this magnitude. The group acted as a collective representative for the community without an ulterior motive. For example, a member of the city council may hold the cemetery in their ward, but at the end of the day, council members are elected officials, and their goal is to get reelected. They also have several tasks that they are focused on throughout their term. This task force serves as an unbiased voice for the community and the only thing on their plate is the project at hand.
The memorial that was installed for this cemetery was stunning. I was so impressed by seeing all the names and dates of everyone they know who is interred there. The layout was designed by a student at North Carolina A&T University and the total cost of the project exceeded $500,000. Most of the funds came from funraising, but the City of Salisbury contributed greatly to the success of this project. It was so wonderful to bear witness to this momentous event, and in regard to the Green Street project, I was encouraged that one day we can also celebrate such a moment in Statesville.
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