Cemetery Preservation

by Jessica Cosmas, Artifact Collections Specialist

I am delighted to share a recent project that involved the Museum of Albemarle, our parent organization, the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and Elizabeth City State University. Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle Board Member and ECSU History Professor, Dr. Melissa Stuckey recently invited museum staff to join preservation efforts focused on Elizabeth City African American Cemeteries. This project brought together the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission (NC AAHC), the Office of State Archaeology (OSA), the History Department at Elizabeth City State University, and the Museum of the Albemarle.

Collections Specialist Jessica Cosmas. Video of conference proceedings may be viewed on the History at Elizabeth City State University’s Facebook page. As of April 2021, the virtual miniconference has been seen by over 1,000 individuals!

COALITION OF ECSU STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, AND MOA STAFF CLEAN GRAVESTONES AT OLD OAK GROVE CEMETERY.

Image Courtesy of Dr. Melissa Stuckey.

Led by Dr. Stuckey, with technical support provided by Dr. Charles Reed of ECSU, the group convened a virtual mini-conference on February 19, 2021. It included presentations by Angela Thorpe, Director of NC AAHC, Melissa Timo of OSA, Dr. Latif Tarik of ECSU, and me, MOA

The work continued with an in-person practicum on March 27, 2021 at Old Oak Grove Cemetery. Techniques and best practices shared during the mini-conference informed current ESCU history students on how to photograph and survey the grounds. I demonstrated proper cleaning methods of gravestones and then ECSU students and professors cleaned six historic markers. These headstones memorialized Civil War veterans who were enlisted in the United States Colored Troops (USCT) Heavy Artillery Regiment. Future workshops have been discussed. Make sure to follow MOA’s social media and the History at ECSU’s Facebook page to see updates on this project!