Surveying the Cemeteries in Walter Pierce Park, 2005-2013
In 2013, Howard University archaeologists, working with concerned citizens, completed a seven-year survey of Walter C. Pierce Community Park. Their goal: to identify and protect two 19th Century cemeteries—the Colored Union Benevolent Association Cemetery, which operated from 1870 to 1890; and the city's first Quaker cemetery, in use from 1807 until 1890.
The remains of more than 8,400 people were buried here. Most of the graves were never removed.
At the request of concerned citizens, Howard University Professor Mark Mack and a student team worked in the park to identify where vulnerable graves still exist. In the first phase of their work—which involved no digging—they surveyed the surface of the park in gridded sections, mapping, photographing and cataloging their finds. They found the exposed remains of at least nine individuals.
Professor Mack, who died in 2012 after completing the field work and data analysis for the survey, was director of the W. Montague Cobb Biological Anthropology Laboratory at Howard and a noted expert on African American cemeteries. He was laboratory director of the landmark African Burial Ground Project in Lower Manhattan for more than a decade.
Who established the cemeteries? Land for the Quaker cemetery, which is located at
the southeast corner of the park's ball field, was given to the Society of Friends (Quakers) by Jonathan Shoemaker in 1807. The Colored Union Benevolent Association in 1870 bought their land from the son of John Quincy Adams.
Both cemeteries were forced to close in 1890 due to neighborhood development pressures.
Who was buried here? They were government workers, servants, laborers, educators, nurses and activists. Also buried here were thousands of formerly enslaved people who came to Washington as refugees of the Civil War. The archaeological team documented the name, age and other information of every person buried in the Walter Pierce cemeteries, working from death certificates at the D.C. Archives.
Were my ancestors buried here? You can find the names at
www.walterpierceparkcemeteries.org.
How can I be involved? The Walter Pierce Project depends on public participation. The Kalorama Citizens Association and Washington Parks & People have special events at the site. To read the archaeological report or to stay informed, go to
www.walterpierceparkcemeteries.org.
Captions from images on marker:
The African American and Quaker cemeteries in 1907.
In April 2008, Edmonson family descendants honored their ancestors who are buried at Walter Pierce Park.
Jim
Graham y Mark Mack
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