The Cemetery Divide: An Ongoing Battle in Elm City

The tale of two cemeteries in the small town of Elm City, NC is still being told, or should I say "untold" in 2024. The battle of Cedar Grove Cemetery (the white cemetery) and Heritage Cemetery (the black one) is still an ongoing concern amongst many who ride the wave of racial divide in the town of nearly 60% blacks and 25% whites (census reporter.org)

Hard conversations continue to ravage the hearts of living family members who for a century now, have had to listen to countless excuses of how one cemetery (Cedar Grove) in the town gets one hundred percent attention while the other (Heritage) gets zero attention.

Let me mention one thought provoking caveat; Should tax payers in Elm City even be concerned with the maintenance of a cemetery that does not belong to them? According to information found on a "Black Wide Awake" (online source), public readers will find that today's concern in 2024, was also brought to the Town of Elm City's Board of Commissioners ten years ago in 2014. Former Mayor Grady Smith (38 year tenure) responds to a concerned resident (Shelley Knight) regarding the cemetery; "That although the Town mows the property, that it doesn’t belong to the Town. Wilson County has the owners as the Elm City Colored Cemetery Commission; therefore ownership belongs to the heirs of the Commission. He suggested that letters be sent to the heirs of previous Commission owners, in an effort to reform the Commission" (January 15, 2016 posting).

Heritage Cemetery est.1892Photo byDrew Wilson

As for Cedar Grove Cemetery (below-est.1884), it is located behind Elm City Middle School and is currently maintained by the Town of Elm City.

Cedar Grove Cemetery, Elm City, NCPhoto byJanet Capps

In the tale of these two cemeteries (Black and White), the hope would certainly be, that familes would surely be able to lay the final remains of their decesased loved ones, in either safe haven of peace.