As morning broke, we gathered with a shared purpose to honor the lives that once walked in the very roles and shoes we do today. Soft light stretched across Anderson Cemetery, awakening a space that has always held more than silence. It holds legacy.

Anderson Cemetery is an historically African American burial ground, shaped by our nation’s history of segregation and discrimination. When Black families were denied dignity in life and in death, they created sacred spaces of their own. This land carries that truth. It carries resilience.

In partnership with DeVine GA, Washington Memorial Gardens, and the DeKalb History Center, over fifteen volunteers showed up ready to work. We picked, pruned, and pulled back years of overgrowth. Wisteria and ivy had nearly swallowed entire sections. By the end of our time, we had only cleared about ten percent, but what we uncovered mattered.

Because beneath the surface, stories are waiting.

The most powerful moment came when the Bussey family arrived, hoping to find their relatives. For two hours, we worked together clearing vines, dirt, and debris. Then it appeared. Marble headstones, grandparents born in 1885, unseen for over 30 years. Watching that family reconnect with their history was unforgettable. Joy, gratitude, and restoration all in one moment.

This work is bigger than a cleanup. It is restoration. It is remembrance. It is justice.

Our commitment is clear. We will continue uncovering graves, documenting them with the DeKalb History Center, and reconnecting families with their loved ones.

Because when we honor those who came before us, we reclaim our story.

And at Anderson Cemetery, we are just getting started.