Exploring Formerly Abandoned Cedar Grove Cemetery (Historical African American Burial Place)
Cedar Grove currently sits on 1.8 acres of land in West Charlotte, North Carolina. It was once part of a much larger plot of land totalling more than 67 acres and was home to Cedar Grove Cemetery, a private African American burial ground. When the owner and caretaker, John S Davidson passed away in 1972, the cemetery was all but abandoned. Nature quickly reclaimed the land with trees and overgrowth taking hold and obscuring the cemetery from view of the local residents.
Over the years, the cemetery was nearly forgotten until Che and his organization Save Cedar Grove stepped up to head revitalization efforts. Today many entities and volunteers gather to help maintain the cemetery and preserve it's history. Family members and descendents of the deceased come to pay respects and leave offerings to their ancestors.
Walking through the site, you can't help but feel the magic happening here. Not only is it incredible to see the old burial plots and envision who rests there, but seeing the history being preserved and made even today reminds us that even though this site was once lost, nothing is ever too far gone. Just a little bit of love and passion can go a long way when it comes to preservation.
