World War I Pennsylvania Colored Soldier Memorial in Eden Cemetery

Eden Cemetery is a historic

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

cemetery located in

Collingdale, Pennsylvania Collingdale is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,908 at the 2020 census. Local governance The Borough of Collingdale follows a council-manager form of governance. The Borough Council is composed ...

. It was established June 20, 1902, and is the oldest existing black owned cemetery in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The cemetery covers about 53 acres and contains approximately 93,000 burials.

History

Jerome Bacon, an instructor at the Institute for Colored Youth (the precursor to Cheyney University), led efforts to create a cemetery for African-Americans who had been buried in cemeteries in Philadelphia that were being condemned by the city in the early 20th century. The cemeteries included

Lebanon Cemetery Lebanon Cemetery was an African-American cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, established in 1849. It was one of only two private African-American cemeteries in Philadelphia at the time. Lebanon Cemetery was condemned in 1899. The bodies wer ...

(condemned in 1899 – closed in 1903), the Olive Graveyard (closed in 1923), the Stephen Smith Home for the Aged and Infirm Colored Person's Burial Ground and the First African Baptist Church Burial Grounds. The bodies buried in these cemeteries were disinterred and re-interred at Eden Cemetery. The oldest reburial in the cemetery is from 1721. After litigation from Collingdale, Pennsylvania opposing the creation of an African-American cemetery in the township, a charter for the creation of Eden Cemetery was granted by

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

on June 20, 1902. Fifty-three acres of land previously part of Bartram Farms were selected for the creation of the cemetery. The first meeting of the cemetery charter committee was held on August 9, 1902, and included prominent members of Philadelphia's black community in the following roles: * President – John C. Asbury, lawyer * Vice-president – Charles W. Jones * Vice-president – Daniel C. Parvis, upholsterer * Secretary – Jerome Bacon, instructor at the Institute for Colored Youth (the precursor to Cheyney University) * Treasurer – Martin J. Lehmann, cigar maker The first interment at the cemetery was delayed until nightfall due to local white protestors who blocked the cemetery entrance during the day. The headline of the Chester County Times the next day read "''Collingdale Has More Race Troubles, Town Council Has No Use for a Colored Cemetery, No African Need Apply.''" On May 30, 1919, a memorial was erected to commemorate the African American soldiers from Pennsylvania who fought and died in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

from 1917 to 1918. In 1986, five child victims of the

1985 MOVE bombing The 1985 MOVE bombing, locally known by its date, May 13, 1985, was the aerial bombing and destruction of residential homes in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, by the Philadelphia Police Department duri ...

were interred in two unmarked graves at Eden Cemetery. In July 2008, vandals toppled over 200 headstones in the cemetery, including that of Octavius Valentine Catto, one of the most famous burials at Eden Cemetery. In 2010, Eden Cemetery was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The cemetery is still in operation and maintained by a group of volunteers. In 2015, a monument to Pauline Oberdorfer Minor was erected in Eden Cemetery by the Philadelphia Alumnae chapter of the

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...

sorority She was one of the 22 founders of the Sorority but was working as a housekeeper when she died and was interred in a

pauper's grave A potter's field, paupers' grave or common grave is a place for the burial of unknown, unclaimed or indigent people. "Potter's field" is of Biblical origin, referring to Akeldama (meaning ''field of blood'' in Aramaic), stated to have been pur ...

alongside three other people. In January 2024, the skulls of 19 unidentified African American Philadelphians were interred in two mausolea in Eden Cemetery. The skulls were part of the

Penn Museum The Penn Museum is an archaeology and anthropology museum at the University of Pennsylvania. It is located on Penn's campus in the University City, Philadelphia, University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, at the intersection of 33rd and Sout ...

collection and were most likely from enslaved persons from the 1830s and 1840s. The skulls were collected by

Samuel George Morton Samuel George Morton (January 26, 1799 – May 15, 1851) was an American physician, natural scientist, and writer. As one of the early figures of scientific racism, he argued against monogenism, the single creation story of the Bible, instead sup ...

, a scientist who supported

scientific racism Scientific racism, sometimes termed biological racism, is the pseudoscience, pseudoscientific belief that the Human, human species is divided into biologically distinct taxa called "race (human categorization), races", and that empirical evi ...

Notable burials

Julian Abele Julian Francis Abele (April 30, 1881April 23, 1950) was a prominent black American architect, and chief designer in the offices of Horace Trumbauer. He contributed to the design of more than 400 buildings, including the Widener Memorial Library ...

(1881–1950), architect M Anderson Eden Cemetery Delco PA

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throughout the United S ...

(1897–1993), opera singerPhiladelphia Magazine: Finding African American History at Delaware County’s Eden Cemetery
/ref> * Ruth L. Bennett (1866–1947), Social reformer and first president of the Chester branch of the NAACP * John C. Bowers (1811–1873), entrepreneur, organist, abolitionist * David Bustill Bowser (1820–1900), ornamental artist and portraitist * John Pierre Burr (–1864), abolitionist and community leader in Philadelphia, a son of

Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician, businessman, lawyer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805 d ...

* Cyrus Bustill (1732–1806), abolitionist and community leader * Octavius Valentine Catto (1839–1871), civil rights leader, baseball pioneer (originally buried in Lebanon Cemetery, Philadelphia; transferred to Eden, May 14, 1903) * Dr. Rebecca J Cole (1846–1922), the second African-American female to earn the

Doctor of Medicine A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin language, Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of ph ...

degree in the United States. * Frank T. Coleman (1911–2008), educator and community volunteer * William A. Creditt (1864–1921), minister, educator, civil rights activist, and school founder * Emilie Davis (1839–1889), diarist *

James DePreist James Anderson DePreist (November 21, 1936 – February 8, 2013) was an American conductor. DePreist was one of the first African-American conductors on the world stage. He was the director emeritus of conducting and orchestral studies at ...

(1936–2013), orchestra conductor * Sarah Mapps Douglass (1806–1882), abolitionist, educator and writer *

Henrietta Duterte Henrietta Duterte (née Bowers; July 1817 – December 23, 1903) was an African-American funeral home owner, philanthropist, and abolitionist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the first American woman to own a mortuary, and her business ope ...

(1817–1903), funeral home owner, philanthropist, and abolitionist * Tyrone Everett (1953–1977), Philadelphia professional boxer *

Jessie Redmon Fauset Jessie Redmon Fauset (April 27, 1882 – April 30, 1961) was an editor, poet, essayist, novelist, and educator. Her literary work helped sculpt African-American literature in the 1920s as she focused on portraying a true image of African-Amer ...

(1882–1961), editor, poet, essayist and novelist *

James Forten James Forten (September 2, 1766March 4, 1842) was an American Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist and businessman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A free-born African American, he became a sailmaker after the American Revolutionary War. ...

(1766–1842), African-American abolitionist and businessman * Timothy Thomas Fortune (1856–1928), journalist, civil rights leader * Stanislaus Kostka Govern (1854–1924), West Indian–American baseball player, first manager of the

Cuban Giants The Cuban Giants were the first fully salaried African-American professional baseball club. The team was originally formed in 1885 at the Argyle Hotel, a summer resort in Babylon, New York. Initially an independent barnstorming team, they playe ...

, labor organizer, journalist, and Shakespearean actor *

Frances Harper Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (September 24, 1825 – February 22, 1911) was an American abolitionist, suffragist, poet, temperance activist, teacher, public speaker, and writer. Beginning in 1845, she was one of the first African American women to ...

(1825–1911), poet, abolitionist * Francis "Frank" Johnson (1792–1844) pioneering musician whose compositions foreshadowed jazz *

Absalom Jones Absalom Jones (November 7, 1746February 13, 1818) was an African-American abolitionist and clergyman who became prominent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Disappointed at the racial discrimination he experienced in a local Methodist church, he foun ...

(1746–1818), African-American abolitionist and clergyman, reinterred to St. Thomas African Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Caroline LeCount (1846–1923), civil rights activist and educator *

Harry McGilberry Harry McGilberry (January 19, 1950 – April 3, 2006) was an American R&B and soul singer and latter-day bass singer for The Temptations between 1995 and 2003. Biography Born Harry McGilberry Jr. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Phila ...

(1950–2006), R&B and Soul singer Pauline Richardson Oberdorfer Minor gravestone

* Pauline Oberdorfer Minor (1885–1963) a Founder of

sorority * Lewis M. Mintess (1895–1982), state legislator who served four terms in the

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

* John Bunyan Reeve (1831–1916), Presbyterian minister and professor at Howard University * Robert Penn (1872–1912), Spanish–American War

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

Recipient *

William Still William Still (October 7, 1819 – July 14, 1902) was an African-American abolitionist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a conductor of the Underground Railroad and was responsible for aiding and assisting at least 649 slaves to freedom ...

(1821–1902), abolitionistWilliam Still Burial Site at Eden Cemetery
National Park Service * Elizabeth Stumm (1857–1910) also known as Elizabeth Height, teacher, and journalist * John Baxter Taylor, Jr. (1882–1908), track and field athlete, first African-American Olympic Gold Medalist * Hannah Archer Till (c. 1721–1826), personal cook of

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

and

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

Charles Albert Tindley Charles Albert Tindley (July 7, 1851July 26, 1933) was an African-American Methodist Minister (Christianity), minister and gospel music composer. His composition "I'll Overcome Someday" is credited as the basis for the U.S. Freedom Songs, Civil R ...

(1851–1933), minister, composer * Laura Wheeler Waring (1887–1948), artist and educator *

George Henry White George Henry White (December 18, 1852 – December 28, 1918) was an American attorney and politician, elected as a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district between 1897 and 1901. He later became a banker in ...

(1852–1918), US Congressman from

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

Headstone Dedication to Honor Congressman George Henry White, Early Civil Rights Leader
/ref>

References

Citations Sources *

External links

*

YouTube Video – "Bury Me In A Free Land" – The Story of Eden Cemetery

* {{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania 1902 establishments in Pennsylvania African-American cemeteries in Pennsylvania African-American history of Pennsylvania Cemeteries established in the 1900s Cemeteries in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Cemetery vandalism and desecration Mass graves in the United States National Register of Historic Places in Delaware County, Pennsylvania