African American Historic Cemeteries of Portsmouth VA

African American Historic Cemeteries of Portsmouth VA Descendants preserving little-known African American history of Portsmouth from 1619-1950. We are interested in restoring the Mt. For the Mt.

The Friends of the African American Historic Cemeteries of Portsmouth, VA was established in May, 2011. Calvary Cemetery Complex (est. 1879), and Lincoln Memorial Cemetery (1912). We also celebrate the cemeteries of Grove Baptist and Olive Branch Baptist. These cemeteries represent the only places where African Americans were allowed to be buried in the city of Portsmouth until 1975, when city cem

eteries were integrated. As such, the cemeteries are a microcosm of the African American community of Portsmouth from 1880 to 1975. Calvary Complex, our first priority, we have recorded and transcribed all existing tombstone inscriptions, photographed and documented the current conditions of the stones, and compiled a database of over 7,300 names of persons interred. We are currently seeking grants to provide funding for the many necessary repairs to restore this historic site.

Not sure how I missed this Texas mention. Thanks ! -- "Missouri City library holds African American genealogy program"
09/20/2025

Not sure how I missed this Texas mention. Thanks ! -- "Missouri City library holds African American genealogy program"

Fort Bend County Libraries’ Genealogy and Local History Department is hosting "Family-History Research: Beginning African-American Genealogy"

4 little girls, the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing. Four Little Girls (U.S. National Park Service) https://share.g...
09/15/2025

4 little girls, the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing.

Four Little Girls (U.S. National Park Service) https://share.google/0qN9QVHRmBzULJHXy

NOTE: The introduction and the credits of the video, along with a number of other random sections, have been removed in order to circumvent copyright strikes...

06/16/2024

Ancestry.com has been helping families trace their roots for nearly three decades. Now, the genealogy company is using technology to further assist Black Americans in discovering their ancestry. On June 11, 2024, Ancestry announced the publication of a free collection of 38,000 newspaper articles re...

06/09/2024

Preserving historically Black cemeteries provides an opportunity to protect Black culture.

The Orton Family plot in Mount Olive Cemetery, including great-great-great- grandfathers Max Orton (1850-1902), Navy Vet...
05/28/2024

The Orton Family plot in Mount Olive Cemetery, including great-great-great- grandfathers Max Orton (1850-1902), Navy Veteran, and Civil War Veteran PVT Dempsey Copeland, 1st U. S. Colored Cavalry, member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Photo: Nadia Orton, May 20 2024

05/28/2024
06/14/2023

Two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, American slavery came to an end and a celebration of freedom was born

Who Were The Buffalo Soldiers And Why Are They So Important To American History?
07/28/2022

Who Were The Buffalo Soldiers And Why Are They So Important To American History?

July 28 marks the annual celebration of Buffalo Soldiers Day, a commemorative holiday that celebrates the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers.

"Every May, the nation marks Memorial Day, the longstanding tradition we use to recognize fallen veterans. The holiday h...
05/30/2022

"Every May, the nation marks Memorial Day, the longstanding tradition we use to recognize fallen veterans. The holiday has its origins in 'Decoration Day,' originally held in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865, when thousands of former slaves, Union soldiers, and missionaries honored Union soldiers who had died in a Confederate prison and were subsequently buried in a makeshift mass grave."

A preservationist reflects on the significant role African-American soldiers played in the Civil War and in their communities long after.

Address

0 Pender Street
Portsmouth, VA
23702

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when African American Historic Cemeteries of Portsmouth VA posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share