Volunteers Restore Historic African American Cemetery, Honor the Past
Clairissa CooperIt is a spot that tens of thousands pass by daily without a thought.
Located off the Interstate 35 frontage road in Lewisville sits Denton County’s Champion-Macedonia Cemetery. This historic African-American cemetery is home to more than 130 graves, many nameless and marked only with crosses. The cemetery itself has no official sign or historical marker. Surrounded by warehouses and parking lots, the patch of greenery is easy to dismiss.
“I did not know it was here,” Jackie Shaw, Social Justice Ministry Lead at Westside Baptist Church, told WFAA.
When Shaw learned of the neglected cemetery, she joined forces with MLKofTexas.org and other community organizations. A plan was formulated to address overgrown weeds, brush, vines, and the overall disarray.
Hundreds of volunteers came out in force on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with rakes, lawnmowers, chainsaws, blowers, and trash bags to clean up and bring dignity back to the gravesites.
“Caretaking of our African American cemeteries is important. We must preserve our history by ensuring these individuals are not forgotten,” said Shaw. “We honored the past by taking care of our ancestors’ resting place. They are gone but not forgotten.”
Champion-Macedonia Cemetery was founded in the 1880s. Among those buried are African American families that acquired farmland in the Lewisville area after the abolishment of slavery in 1865. It is one of the first integrated cemeteries in the U.S.
“Not only are founding citizens and beloved family members buried here, but also community leaders and veterans,” said Shaw.
Shaw and another large group of volunteers from the community showed up two weeks later to continue the cleanup effort.
“Just seeing the large turnout for cleanup, I had tears of joy as l looked out at the volunteers, young and old, of every race and background helping to clean up and restore the grounds,” said Shaw.
Chevelle Pridgett, African American Outreach Specialist for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lewisville, was one of those volunteers.
“We were honored to participate in the clean-up efforts. The African American families buried there deserve to have their resting place be one that is clean and respected.
“We look forward to serving with them in the future.”
Westside Baptist Church is working with Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell to get Champion-Macedonia recognized as a historic place.
“When God’s children come together in the community, for the community, amazing things happen,” said Shaw.
Related news coverage of this event can be found at WFAA, Spectrum News 1, and the City of Lewisville.
Featured photo courtesy of MLKofNorthTexas.org
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Clairissa Cooper is a journalist, photographer, freelance marketing professional, and media specialist living with her husband and three children in the Lewisville Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
