A Sacred Place

A Sacred Place. The African-American Cemetery. , A Place of History , Records indicate that this area was identified as a "burying ground," likely for enslaved people, by the 1790s. Other records document its use in the late 1800s and throughout the early 20th century, when African Americans found work as hired laborers in the phosphate mines and as tenant farmers and hired servants for the Drayton family. They lived in a community of small houses that once surrounded the place where you are now standing., A Place of Memory , Stories from descendants of those buried here describe the meaningful role this cemetery played. Following African traditions, the dead were laid to rest at what became the physical center of a close-knit community of families and friends. Over time, many of the wooden crosses, markers, and grave goods deteriorated and disappeared, taking with them the identity of the deceased. The memorial arch was created to remember and honor them, its design motifs renewing the connections with African traditions found across the Lowcountry., A Place of Discovery , Archaeologists now know that the cemetery is much larger than originally thought; by early 2010, they had located the graves of at least 40 individuals. While most were found within the area that is today surrounded by woods, other graves have been found within the cleared area before you, closer to the driveway's edge; there are likely many more. We hope that future archaeology will help us to understand how these grounds were used, how they changed over time, and the identity of those interred within., A Place of Inspiration and Reflection , Respecting the wishes of the deceased, the cemetery has purposefully been left natural, and not planted with ornamental shrubs or improved with defined pathways. It is today a place of peace and repose, and it stands as a testament to the lives of the people of African descent, enslaved and free, named and unknown, who contributed both to Drayton Hall's growth and development, and to that of our nation., You are about to enter a sacred place. Before you stands one of the oldest documented African American cemeteries still in use, a physical reminder of generations of countless men, women, and children who once lived and worked here. Today, this sacred place links us to their past, and to their living memory., As you enter this sacred place, please be mindful of its history and meaning. Look to the left and right for the small markers that indicate the boundaries of the area once marked as "the burying ground."