Evergreen Negro Cemetery
I moved back to Houston about a month ago and my cousin wanted to show me a historical, African American cemetery he’s been photographing sorta in our ‘backyard’. Evergreen Negro Cemetery, founded in 1893, is located in a historical Black settlement in Houston called 5th ward bordering Lockwood Dr. and Market St. It currently sits on half an acre although the original cemetery was much larger before I-10, Lockwood Dr. and politics reduced it. It currently rests on both sides of the street clearly indicating the road disrupted the resting places of some of our earliest African American residents in Houston.
Sources have said the City of Houston moved the plots to other cemeteries (Eternity, Oak Grove and Paradise) but I have not be able to locate anything that indicated a list of graves that were actually moved. I also heard Johnson Funeral Home was awarded the contract to move the graves but I’ve yet to get a return phone call back.
On the day of our visit it looked like there had been some recent work done on the grounds as the grass appeared somewhat newly cut and there were new plantings. We were very concerned about the plantings to the proximity of the markers because not knowing the actual plant species, we worried the ‘roots’ could upset the markers in the future. Regardless of the foliage, knowing that someone had taken interest in this burial ground felt somewhat comforting until our eyes landed on markers knocked over and cracked.
the majority of markers were overall in place. Someone please explain the sick thrill one must get from cracking a gravemarker in half.
I heard former slaves, Buffalo Soldiers and WWI veterans were buried there yet we could not find anything indicating those designations. According to the markers in the cemetery, the following US Colored Troop Cavalries were considered apart of the Buffalo Soldier regime: 9th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 24th Infantry Regiment, & 25th Infantry Regiment.
The following were found by my cousin in the cemetery:
Valter Eblet – 24th Infantry Regiment
George H. Lofton – 10th Cavalry Regiment
We saw many other markers that were no longer distinguishable and a few other interesting things like ceramic bowls, used alcohol containers, ceramic vases, and a jar of honey strategically placed.
Those trees alone were well over 100 years old so one can only wish the National Parks Department may have a interest in preserving these natural giants within this designated historical marker.
The heat and mosquitoes proved too much so we left but wondered again were those graves really moved or were we driving over them on the way home?
As previously mentioned we discovered others have not forgotten about this historic burial ground and a movement has started to stop the neglect of where our ancestors lay. A group of students at Rice University have begun using GPS equipment to find & survey unmarked graves along with a great group of students at YES Prep School & Phillis Wheatley High School who are also turning this site into a laboratory clearing, researching
and helping to restore pride to this once forgotten place. My cousin also joined the movement and photographed every single, solitary grave there in hopes of helping family researchers and interested parties
view the gravemarkers online. If anyone in the Houston area wants to help with the preservation efforts, please visit Project R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Evergreen Negro Cemetery pics
Project RESPECT- Evergreen Cemetery
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Vicky Daviss Mitchell Says: September 4th, 2009 at 9:21 am In August I went on vacation and spent 5 days scouring Evergreen looking for my great grandfather James Penn Daviss. We even went to Oak Grove. We had no luck in finding him at either place. We even called the Johnson Mortuary and the lady that answered stated that she had no knowledge of the burials. (I would have hoped her response would have been that she would check and get back with me). I know the removal was a long time ago but the records should have been kept somewhere. Thanks for this site