The African American Burial Grounds

The African American Burial Grounds. . In 1866, the city of Atlanta set aside this 3.2-acre section of land for African Americans to buy burial plots. Before 1866, African Americans were buried in an area called Slave Square in Oakland Cemetery's original six acres. The practice of separating burials by race reflected racial segregation in America, which continued for nearly a century after the end of slavery. Legal segregation at Oakland Cemetery ended in 1963 when the City of Atlanta banned segregated public facilities., According to burial records, more than 12,300 African Americans rest at Oakland Cemetery. There are few markers in this section compared to the estimated number of burials. Many African Americans used natural markers, such as trees or shrubs, to designate a burial site. Wooden crosses and markers were common but deteriorated over the years., Many of Atlanta's notable, as well as lesser known, citizens are buried in the African American Burial Grounds. These men and women founded colleges, established places of worship, opened businesses, and created social organizations to serve Atlanta's African American community. They confronted discrimination and challenged institutionalized racism to make Atlanta the culturally rich environment that it is today., Learn more about Atlanta's African American history at oaklandcemetery.com., Captions: , Top: Bishop Wesley Gaines and his wife, Julia, are both interred at Oakland Cemetery. Bishop Gaines was a minister, author, and founder of Morris Brown College. , Middle, right: Carrie Steele Logan established the first orphanage for African American children in Atlanta. , Bottom, right: Dr. Henry Rutherford Butler was the co-owner of Atlanta's first African American-owned drugstore. His wife, Selena Sloan Butler, started the nation's first black parent-teacher association at Atlanta's Yonge Street Elementary School.