Mission 02: Tucker Cemetery Update

On Friday, June 10, Veronica A. Davis of Virginia Roots and William Tucker of William Tucker Enterprises met with the Pastor of New Covenant Church in Hampton, Virginia who will be representing an organization of 8 churches who are signing on to work with the Tucker Cemetery Restoration. Work is to begin in September and the group will continue their efforts for 8 months.

I am still trying to work with African American Churches to help them to understand the importance of the historic burial grounds; unfortunately my efforts are falling on deaf ears. I must admit this is very embarrassing that area African American churches have no regard for the upkeep of the burial grounds where their congregants that built their churches are buried. Have the "Religious Leaders" forgotten that these were the people that fought for them to be able to preach without witness, risked their lives for them to be educated and provided the monies that established the Theological Schools where they trained. It is hard for me to understand how they can hold their heads up!

Please we need everyone to help to restore respect to the historic cemeteries. If your church is not involved in restoring a cemetery locate the cemetery where are great deal of your congregants are buried and clean it up. I have a dollar that says if there are trees in the back of the cemetery you will find more graves.

There are many efforts being led to save the Slave burial grounds in preparation of the Commemoration of the Arrival of the Africans by the British in 1619. Please visit historiccemeteries.net to add your cemetery to the list.

Blessings to you all,