Monday, December 14, 2015

Monument installed to honor early African-American church members

From Western NC-

Overgrown until recently with ivy, an area reserved for mid-19th century African-American parishioners in the historic cemetery at St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church is now graced with a 9-foot-high monument.

On Thursday afternoon, a crane lifted a 6-foot-tal,l rough-hewn granite cross onto a granite pedestal at the front of the historic cemetery as clergy and members of the churchyard committee looked on.

About 100 graves are estimated to be in the burial ground, wherein the remains of those who were enslaved to white church members as well as freedmen are interred. The main fact is that all were parishioners at the church, said the Rev. John A. Morton, rector of St. John.


http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20151213/NEWS/151219934

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