The Geography of Race

The Geography of Race. . Oakland's African American Burial Grounds reflect the extent of racial segregation in America. From 1866 until 1963, African Americans could only buy burial plots in this section. As people were racially segregated in daily life , in education, business, leisure, and worship , so were they kept apart in death in cemeteries across the nation., Many whites maintained that segregation provided “separate but equal” conditions for both races. In reality, African Americans were often forced to accept inferior facilities and services. Oakland Cemetery's African American Burial Grounds reflected this inequality. The sloping grounds, located near the lowest point in the cemetery, easily flooded and were not maintained to the same standards as the rest of the cemetery. In a society dominated by racial prejudice, even the most successful and accomplished African Americans could neither buy nor earn the right to be treated equally with whites, even in death., Learn more about Atlanta's African American history at oaklandcemetery.com., Captions: , Top: Students protesting racial segregation at the Georgia State Capitol building. Photo by Bill Wilson. Copyright Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Courtesy of Georgia State University. , Bottom left, middle, and right: Signs indicating racial segregation in public facilities were common throughout the South. Courtesy of Library of Congress.