The cemetery was established in 1893 thanks to resident Annie Dunn, who donated one acre of land to a group of cemetery trustees representing Yoakum’s African American community. By 1925, the growing cemetery was under the management of the newly formed Yoakum City Colored Cemetery Association. As is common with cemetery associations, elderly members began passing away and regular cemetery maintenance became harder to achieve with limited resources. 

Fast forward to the 2000s, Vanita took action to correct a pattern of environmental racism by the city of Yoakum that exacerbated the problem of illegal dumping and deteriorating conditions at the cemetery.

In the later half of the 20^th century, city-owned industrial and waste facilities began surrounding the historic cemetery, leading many to mistake the sacred burial grounds as an extension of the city landfill.

With her personal funds, Vanita began the long-overdue property research and clean-up efforts at the cemetery before receiving a matching $10,000 grant from the Yoakum Economic Development Corporation. Through community organizing and creative fundraising methods, the revived Yoakum Memorial Association has received a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey, a Historic Texas Cemetery (HTC) designation, and, most importantly, a formal acknowledgment by the city of Yoakum for its past historical injustices.

Over the past several years, we’ve collected numerous examples of historic cemeteries erroneously charged for property taxes and then auctioned off by the county for delinquent taxes. Still more concerning is that, in some cases, the buyer had no idea they’d purchased land containing a cemetery. One major contributing factor to this situation is that so many cemeteries are abandoned, and no identifiable owner can complete and sign the exemption form required by appraisal districts.

We might be biased, but we think every day is a good day for visiting historic cemeteries, no matter the season. Visitors in April and May, however, may be in for a special treat. A growing number of cemetery caretakers are allowing nature to take its course during spring, resulting in a stunning show of wildflowers.

To see where the flowers are blooming, click here to visit the THC Blog.

A crowd gathered in Oakland Cemetery in Dallas on a cool, damp morning several weeks ago to unveil the cemetery’s new historical marker. The weather did not dampen their enthusiasm, though. They weren’t just celebrating the marker—they were celebrating a new life for the 134-year-old cemetery.

To read how volunteers saved Oakland Cemetery, click here to visit the THC Blog.

This March, the Cemetery Preservation Program and our colleagues in the History Programs Division were treated to a special tour of the mother of all burial grounds – the Texas State Cemetery. The 18-acre grounds are under the care of the State Board of Preservation, while eligibility to receive a burial plot is determined by the Texas State Cemetery Committee.

We thank cemetery historian Will Erwin for sharing his favorite memories of the hundreds of funeral services he’s attended for the who’s who of Texas throughout his career.

We visited the grave of Warren Skaaren, the screenwriter of Batman (1989) and Beetlejuice (1988), got a rare up-close view of Elisabet Ney’s memorial statue of Albert Sidney Johnston, then ended the day on top of Republic Hill, where the late U.S. Representative Barbara Jordan is buried. Touchingly, someone had left fresh flowers on her headstone, which reads:

Eloquent Champion of Ethics and Justice. We The People Salute You.

This month’s famous grave is dedicated to one of the most influential Texans of our lifetime – Selena Quintanilla. Fans across the world are commemorating the 30 years that have passed since her tragic death as a rising star in the Pop and Tejano music industry. Among the many colorful public tributes to Selena in her hometown of Corpus Christi, her black granite monument in Seaside Memorial Gardens stands out as a quiet space for reflection. 

Stay tuned! In mid-October the Texas Historical Commission will be hosting headstone repair workshops near Athens in Henderson County. 

Look for the registration details in our July issue of Grave Concerns in Texas.