Promised Land: A Tour of Atlanta's historically African-American Cemeteries and the graves of Civil Rights Pioneers
By Elizabeth Clappin, Urban Planner II, Department of City Planning, Office of Design: Historic Preservation
People come from all over the world to visit the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Located on historic Auburn Avenue, footsteps from the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is also his final resting place. The crypt, set in the center of the reflecting pool in front of the King Center, holds the remains of Dr. King (1929-1968) and his wife, Coretta Scott King (1927-2006). Its location also makes it one of the most visited graves in the United States. Looking beyond Dr. King, it is believed that the city of Atlanta has more civil rights leaders buried within our African-American cemeteries than anywhere else in America. This trend continues today with the recent burials of Congressman John Lewis (1940-2020) and baseball legend Hank Aaron (1934-2021) in historic South-View Cemetery.
July 30, 2022, will mark the second anniversary of Congressman Lewis’ burial at historic South-View. To commemorate this event, the Atlanta Cemetery Network considered the Civil Rights pioneers who paved the way for the movement, walked alongside these individuals, and created a guide to where they are buried. The stories of Atlanta’s historically African-American cemeteries often parallel the experience of the African-American community overall in the city. These institutions are guided by principles of equality and dignity for all, even in death. The cemeteries and public sites included in the tour show multiple ways that Atlantans contributed to the fight for civil rights and equality in the African-American community—from politics to education to sports. These African-American cities of the dead continue to tell the story and provide a place of pilgrimage for a new generation to discover the stories of these individuals.
This tour provides a history of Atlanta’s two historically African-American cemeteries: South-View (founded 1886) and Lincoln (founded 1925), and how they fit into the story of the African-American community in Atlanta. The tour highlights 30 individuals who have played a key role in not just the story of civil rights in Atlanta but nationwide. These individuals are categorized by how they made their most significant impact on the Civil Rights story; in a range of areas. The Department of City Planning created the Atlanta Cemetery Network to understand the importance of cemeteries, how they are managed and cared for, who is invested in these institutions, and most importantly, to promote the preservation and explore opportunities for the future of Atlanta’s cemeteries. One of the most important goals of the cemetery network was to create a hub for the public who were seeking information on our cemeteries. The Atlanta Cemetery Network and the Department of City Planning hope that this civil rights tour is the first of many exciting opportunities to share the importance of our historic burial grounds!
To learn more about the Atlanta Cemetery Network and to download the walking tour visual guide, click here.