Woodbury, NJ Honors Site of Former African American Cemetery With Plaque
By Jason Laday/South Jersey Times
June 29, 2014 at 6:00 AM
WOODBURY — After decades without any recognition of its historic significance, the site of a former African American cemetery, located under what is now a parking garage at Inspira Hospital, will now be marked with a plaque explaining to passersby that they are treading past hallowed ground.
In a ceremony on Friday afternoon that included members from the African American Oral History Project, city and hospital officials, as well as family members of those formerly interred at the cemetery, and residents honored the 11 Civil War veterans previously were buried at the site, placing a flag near the plaque for each one of them.
"It's beautiful to see the City of Woodbury and Inspira Medical Center choose to recognize the importance of the cemetery to colored people in Woodbury, and to the country," said Gloria Holmes, who, along with others from the African American Oral History Project, has spearheaded the effort to get a plaque for the cemetery site for more than a year. "It also recognizes the men who served in the Civil War, and made such a sacrifice to get their freedom."
The cemetery, founded in 1832 on what is now Red Bank Avenue, contained the remains of at least 47 people, including 11 Civil War veterans and a prominent African Methodist Episcopal bishop, until 1962 when they were transferred to the Presbyterian Cemetery on North Broad Street.
A plaque at the Broad Street cemetery remembers the names of all of those transferred.
Today, the Red Bank Cemetery is the home of a parking garage for Inspira Medical Center.
If their story is never told, then they will be forgotten.
Several residents from around Gloucester County attended the ceremony, stating there is a possibility they could be related to some of the Civil War veterans formerly buried at the site.
Pastor Lawrence H. Money, from Monroeville, and his wife, Rosalind Money (nee Gibson), who grew up in Woodbury, both share last names with several of the veterans.
While they aren't positive of any relation, they said they were nonetheless excited to take part in the historic ceremony.
"It's exciting," said Money, who is a pastor at Campbell AME Church in Woodbury. "It's good to see that they aren't lost to history, and that they didn't give up their lives for nothing.
"Years later, our children will remember this," he added. "If their story is never told, then they will be forgotten."
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Contact staff writer Jason Laday at 856-686-3628 or jladay@southjerseymedia.com.
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| Plaque recognizing 19th century African cemetery in Woodbury, NJ. |
June 29, 2014 at 6:00 AM
WOODBURY — After decades without any recognition of its historic significance, the site of a former African American cemetery, located under what is now a parking garage at Inspira Hospital, will now be marked with a plaque explaining to passersby that they are treading past hallowed ground.
In a ceremony on Friday afternoon that included members from the African American Oral History Project, city and hospital officials, as well as family members of those formerly interred at the cemetery, and residents honored the 11 Civil War veterans previously were buried at the site, placing a flag near the plaque for each one of them.
"It's beautiful to see the City of Woodbury and Inspira Medical Center choose to recognize the importance of the cemetery to colored people in Woodbury, and to the country," said Gloria Holmes, who, along with others from the African American Oral History Project, has spearheaded the effort to get a plaque for the cemetery site for more than a year. "It also recognizes the men who served in the Civil War, and made such a sacrifice to get their freedom."
The cemetery, founded in 1832 on what is now Red Bank Avenue, contained the remains of at least 47 people, including 11 Civil War veterans and a prominent African Methodist Episcopal bishop, until 1962 when they were transferred to the Presbyterian Cemetery on North Broad Street.
A plaque at the Broad Street cemetery remembers the names of all of those transferred.
Today, the Red Bank Cemetery is the home of a parking garage for Inspira Medical Center.
If their story is never told, then they will be forgotten.
Several residents from around Gloucester County attended the ceremony, stating there is a possibility they could be related to some of the Civil War veterans formerly buried at the site.
Pastor Lawrence H. Money, from Monroeville, and his wife, Rosalind Money (nee Gibson), who grew up in Woodbury, both share last names with several of the veterans.
While they aren't positive of any relation, they said they were nonetheless excited to take part in the historic ceremony.
"It's exciting," said Money, who is a pastor at Campbell AME Church in Woodbury. "It's good to see that they aren't lost to history, and that they didn't give up their lives for nothing.
"Years later, our children will remember this," he added. "If their story is never told, then they will be forgotten."
---
Contact staff writer Jason Laday at 856-686-3628 or jladay@southjerseymedia.com.
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