A campaign to identify nameless graves in Mecklenburg County has resulted in the planting of approximately 180 flags at burial sites along Ridge Road and Morehead Road.
The campaign seeks to preserve the memory of what is regarded as an African American burial place, where the Siloam Presbyterian Church formerly stood before burning down in 1958.
“With all of the new development and things that have been built around it, we just want to make sure that our ancestors and everybody here is not forgotten,” said Denise Turner, a relative of someone buried at the site.
Families told Channel 9 that environmental scientists had identified the burials at the location.
Family members stated that they are attempting to have the cemetery designated as a historical landmark. This designation would protect the site from future development while also acknowledging the history of individuals buried there.
