A Restoration of Historic African American Cemetery, History and Learnings

The Conroe Community Cemetery Restoration Project (CCCRP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to cleaning restoring and preserving for future generations a historic African American cemetery in Conroe, Texas. The video is not only the history of our progress but a guide for others that want to learn how to restore an abandoned cemetery.

While everyone wants to get out and chop down weeds and brush to clean a cemetery, initially research needs to be done at the local library and historical society, interviewing older community residents, determining land ownership, and establishing a non-profit that will provide a structure that will continue the maintenance needed to avoid losing the cemetery again. The key to all this is finding a diverse group with different skills who are as motivated as you are about history and honoring our ancestors.

Once the research and legal aspects are covered the restoration can begin. The involvement of civic and community groups must be pursued. Put together a presentation to deliver to county and city officials, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, civic groups, churches, and historical groups. A brochure should be developed to leave with potential volunteers and donors. One key to involvement is taking full advantage of newspapers, social media, and a website. You need to advertise events and publish the history of some of those buried there and anything that can bring the work to light and keep it in the public's eye. Celebrate key milestones with the community and invite the newspapers and news stations.

Volunteers and members need to educate themselves on cemetery evaluation and restoration or bring in experts from historical commissions and universities. If you are cleaning stones you need to attend training before doing it. There are lots of things that cause more damage than good and many untrained people offering to clean headstones that are just using the quickest and cheapest methods. Our motto is do no harm. We would rather leave a stone as is than risk losing it forever. A good site to check out for more information is https://cemeteryconservatorsunitedstandards.org/.

Remember, "A cemetery is a history of people - a perpetual record of yesterday and a sanctuary of peace and quiet today.  A cemetery exists because every life is worth living and remembering—always." Author Unknown