The South Asheville Colored Cemetery, 1840-1943
OH-SACC
Table of Contents
- Summary Information
- Historical Note
- Scope and Contents
- Administrative Information
- Recordings
- Collection Inventory
- Susie Agnew
- Annie Mae Bolden
- Rev. Benjamin F. Brewer and Rosa Gordon Brewer
- Ethel Burgan
- Marjorie McClean Dendy
- George Gibson
- Forest Hardy
- John Hemphill
- Saint Ola Mapp
- Elizabeth McMorris
- Ella Ragsdale
- Genevieve Williams
- Additional Materials
Summary Information
- Repository
- UNC Asheville Special Collections and University Archives
- Title
- The South Asheville Colored Cemetery, 1840-1943
- ID
- OH-SACC
- Date
- 1989
- Extent
- 0.2 Linear feet ; 1 box
- Location
- Located in Special Collections row 3, section 2
- Language
- English
Preferred Citation
[Title of Interview], The South Asheville Colored Cemetery, 1840-1943, D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville
Historical Note
The South Asheville Cemetery covers two acres of land in the Kenilworth neighborhood and was the burial ground for African-Americans from the early 1800s to 1943. It is estimated that between 1500 and 5000 burial occurred in the cemetery , and these included slaves, freedmen, well-to-do, poor, war heroes, and generations of families.
The South Asheville Colored Cemetery Project was conducted over a three month period during the summer of 1989, to obtain an oral history of the cemetery.
Scope and Contents
Interviews with African American residents of Asheville, NC with knowledge of persons buried in the South Asheville Colored Cemetery. The interviews cover names of people buried in the cemetery, the history of the cemetery, and burial customs. "Transcripts" are included for some interviews, however these are not verbatim, but are heavily edited and modified compared to the audio recordings.
Also included are, of documents related to the South Asheville Colored Cemetery Association, newspaper clippings, a paper by Wiburn Hayden Jr. on the oral history project, photographs, and additional background information.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
UNC Asheville Special Collections and University Archives
Ramsey Library, CPO # 1500One University Heights
Asheville, North Carolina, 28804-8504
828.251.6645
speccoll@unca.edu
Rights
Restrictions apply. None of the interviews may be copied. Any display, publication, or public use must credit the D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville. Copyright retained by the creators of certain items in the collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Creator
South Asheville Colored Cemetery Project ; Dee Williams ; Lewis Armmond ; Interviewees as noted
Recordings
Many of the recordings are of poor audio quality, with indistinct answers from the interviewees.
Collection Inventory
Susie AgnewInterview Date and Interviewer(September 7, 1989) ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; copy CD Scope and ContentsMrs. Agnew talks briefly about the maintenance of the cemetery. [The audio quality is very poor, and Mrs. Agnew's answers are often inaudible. The recording is on the same tape as the John Hemphill interview, and starts approximately 26 minutes in to that recording] RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Annie Mae BoldenInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 15, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; copy CD ; text Scope and ContentsMrs. Bolden names and describes family members and friends who were buried in the South Asheville Colored Cemetery. She explains how the graves were dug and maintained by family members. Additional MaterialsTranscript RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Rev. Benjamin F. Brewer and Rosa Gordon BrewerInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 19, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; copy CD ; text Scope and ContentsThe Brewers explain the ownership of the cemetery, how clean-up days were organized, and how arrangements for burial were made. They name and describe family members who are buried in the cemetery. Additional MaterialsTranscript RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Ethel BurganInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 29, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; text Scope and ContentsMrs. Burgan tells something of her family history, and names and describes members of her husband's family who are buried in the South Asheville Colored Cemetery. She tells describes burial customs of the past. Additional MaterialsTranscript RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Marjorie McClean DendyInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 28, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; copy CD Scope and ContentsMrs. Dendy identifies her relatives buried in the cemetery, including her mother, brothers and sisters, and gives information about them. She talks about cleaning the cemetery, and other individuals she recalls being buried in the cemetery. RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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George GibsonInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 2, 1989 ; Lewis Armmond FormatAudio cassette tape ; copy CD ; text Scope and ContentsMr. Gibson remembers playing in the cemetery as a child. He describes the efforts of the South Asheville Cemetery Association to reclaim and restore the abandoned cemetery. Additional MaterialsTranscript RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Forest HardyInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 16, 1989 ; Lewis Armmond FormatAudio cassette tape ; copy CD Scope and ContentsMr. Hardy came to Asheville to work with McCoy-Wilkins Funeral Home, after the South Asheville Colored Cemetery was closed. He remembers family and friends who were buried there. He names black funeral homes, past and present. Additional MaterialsTranscript RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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John HemphillInterview Date and InterviewerSeptember 7, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; copy CD Scope and ContentsMr. Hemphill talks about the origins of the cemetery, and his ancestors that were buried there. He also gives information about the layout of the cemetery. RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Saint Ola MappInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 14, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatCopy CD ; text Scope and ContentsMrs. Mapp remembers her father's burial in the South Asheville Colored Cemetery. She tells a little about her father and about life in Asheville during the Depression. She describes the road going into and out of the cemetery at that time. Additional MaterialsTranscript RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Elizabeth McMorrisInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 29, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; copy CD Scope and ContentsElizabeth McMorris talks about the members of her family buried in the cemetery and the arrangements that were made for the funerals. She also talks about the lack of maintenance of the cemetery, and the people she knew who were buried in the cemetery RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Ella RagsdaleInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 10, 1989 ; Lewis Armmond FormatAudio cassette tape ; copy CD Scope and ContentsElla Ragsdale talks about the cemetery, the people she remembers being buried there, the closure of the cemetery, and its role in the community. The interview also feature an unidentified man. RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Genevieve WilliamsInterview Date and InterviewerAugust 7, 1989 ; Dee Williams FormatAudio micro cassette tape ; copy CD Scope and ContentsGenevieve Williams talks about the people she knows who were buried in the cemetery, and the funeral ceremonies that were held. RestrictionsCannot be copied |
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Additional Materials |
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Hayden, William. "The South Asheville Colored Cemetery, 1840-1943." Appalachian Heritage, Fall 1991: 27-29 [http://muse.jhu.edu/article/438652/pdf] |
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Photograph - William Avery gravestone [March 2001] |
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Photograph - G W Lathern gravestone [March, 2001] |
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Photograph - Louise Miller gravestone [March 2001] |
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Photograph - Jane Avery gravestone [March 2001] |
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Photograph - D J Jackson gravestone [March 2001] |
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Photograph - Dorgas Brandon gravestone [March 2001] |
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Photograph - Zion Clement gravestone [March 2001] |
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Photograph - general view of cemetery [March 2001] |
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Photograph - St John "A" Baptist church [March 2001] |
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South Asheville Colored Cemetery Association, history and by-laws |
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Clipping from Asheville Citizen-Times, October 15, 2000 |
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Survey of artifacts, and information in public registries |
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Notes to record search by Dee Williams |
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