Sacred Ground

Sacred Ground. Resilience and Resistance. , Sacred Heart Cemetery was once the site of the White Marsh Plantation, owned and operated by the Jesuits in use from 1722 to 1933, where nearly 900 African Americans were buried between 1818 and 1965. This site was part of a large tract owned by James Carroll, who in 1729 donated over 2,000 acres to the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. This legal transfer included Carroll's enslaved community., In 1885, Charles W. Fletcher, Isaac Henry Walter Johnson, James Henson, and Isaac Mitchell, African American members of the White Marsh Catholic Church, established The Catholic Beneficial Society of White Marsh in Prince George's County, Maryland. The Society offered vital support to the Black community near what is now the Bowie area, during a period when society itself refused to offer them dignity and often excluded them from the resources they needed. Their main objective was "the relief of the sick and the burial of the dead.", [Captions:] , Abraham Henry (1878-1932) was a descendant of several families buried at the site. His father, Isaac Henry, was a founding member of the Catholic Beneficial Society of White Marsh in 1885. , , Henry Family photo, Above: The dotted line shows the historical boundaries of the cemetery. , , Google Earth map, The Catholic Beneficial Society of White Marsh provided financial assistance of the Black families buried at the cemetery. The site reflects a history of slavery, faith, and enduring African American resilience. , , Courtesy of White Marsh Historical Society