Richmond in Henrico County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Woodland Cemetery
Photographed by Peter Sitko, May 18, 2025
1. Woodland Cemetery Marker
Woodland Cemetery was dedicated on 30 May 1917 as a grand resting place for Richmond's African American community. John Mitchell Jr., newspaper editor and civil rights activist, led the effort after the closure of the Barton Heights Cemeteries nearby. Among those interred here are formerly enslaved people, military veterans, and community leaders. Prominent individuals include the Rev. John Jasper, founder of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, public health activist Dr. Zenobia Gilpin, architect Charles T. Russell, and humanitarian and tennis champion Arthur Ashe. After the cemetery fell into disrepair in the late 20th century, families and volunteers labored to restore it to its its original condition.
Erected 2022 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number SA-134.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical date for this entry is May 30, 1917.
Location. 37° 33.743′ N, 77° 24.714′ W.
Marker is in Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico County. It can be reached from Magnolia Road 0.3 miles north of Magnolia Street, on the right when
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont and in Central Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Italians in Richmond (approx. one mile away); Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground (approx. 1.2 miles away); a different marker also named Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground (approx. 1.2 miles away); Barton Heights Cemeteries (approx. 1.2 miles away); Hebrew Cemetery (approx. 1.2 miles away); Shockoe Hill Cemetery (approx. 1.3 miles away); a different marker also named Shockoe Hill Cemetery (approx. 1.3 miles away); Union POW Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.
Photographed by Peter Sitko, May 18, 2025
2. Woodland Cemetery Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2025, by Peter Sitko of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 77 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 30, 2025, by Peter Sitko of Richmond, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
