150 Years of Telling Their Stories: History through the Lens of Greenwood Cemetery, St. Louis’ Oldest Non-sectarian Black Cemetery
Panel Discussion
Abstract
This panel discusses the work of Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association to preserve the stories of African Americans buried there since 1874. Through the work of descendants and activists, the cemetery was saved from development in the late 90s and gained a place on the national register of historic places. Greenwood has dedicated itself to telling the stories of the nearly 50k that call it their final resting place. As a public history site, Greenwood offers a unique and compelling story that captures an audience, regardless of their race, telling the story of St. Louis through the lens of those interred.
African American Public History and Memory Local and Community History 20th CenturySession Participants
Professor Grace Moser, Professor at St. Charles Community College
Chair; Panelist
Grace Wade Moser is a professor in history at St. Charles Community college just outside of St. Louis in Cottleville, MO. She has been working with the Greenwood Preservation Association since 2020 connecting students to service learning projects researching & archiving burial records for those interred at Greenwood, along with helping to maintain the grounds and reclaim land from secondary growth and neglect. Her students gain experience with historical research and archive skills while still freshman and sophomores, experiencing historical preservation firsthand, all while serving the larger community.
Etta Daniels, Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Assoc. Historian
Presenter
Keona Dordor, Washington University in St. Louis
Panelist
Shelley Morris, Greenwood Cemetery—St. Louis
Presenter