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Woodlawn Cemetery Restoration Project
Student Position: Oral Historical Research & Descendent Engagement
Overall Project Description As elsewhere in the country, in Washtenaw County, racism and discrimination against Black individuals were commonly established in law and policies, reinforced through professional practices, and rooted deeply in cultural norms from post-Civil War through at least the civil rights era in the 1960s. For example, few cemeteries allowed Black community members a resting place – or if a cemetery did allow burials, placement was limited to areas away from where white community members were placed. To address this challenge, Pastor Garther Roberson, Sr. established Woodlawn Cemetery as a resting place for Black community members on land he purchased in Ypsilanti Township in 1946. Woodlawn Cemetery is the only documented cemetery for Black community members in Washtenaw County. However, it has fallen into disrepair. Many of the individuals buried in Woodlawn Cemetery were central to the development and history of Ypsilanti and across Washtenaw County. Unfortunately, burial records were destroyed in a fire in the 1950s. Thus, the full list of names, grave locations, and other details have been lost. Based on whole or fragmented pieces of grave markers and searches of historical newspapers, death certificates, census data and other sources, over 200 individuals have been identified so far. The Woodlawn Restoration Project aims to preserve and protect this historic cemetery for future generations while maintaining historical integrity. Restoration efforts have been made possible through the collaborations between the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission, the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County, Ypsilanti Township, the Roberson Family, and descendants of individuals buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. The Center for Community Archaeology & Heritage at the University of Michigan has recently joined as a partner and is sponsoring this position through Professor Tiffany Fryer. Prospective applicants can contact her at tcfryer@umich.edu. Please include a statement of interest and a recent CV or resume. Tasks & Responsibilities: This project centers the knowledge and concerns of Woodlawn cemetery’s descendent community members. Working closely with the project teams, the student will participate in the recording of oral histories pertaining to the cemetery, as well as processing, transcribing, and coding them. The student will also aid the project team in hosting group listening sessions about the history of the cemetery but, equally importantly, also the vision for its future. The student may also help to identify potential descendants by engaging in genealogical research. Potential products of the work will include transcriptions, audio-visual materials, thematic reports, and content for public exhibitions and the project’s website and social media. |
