Pope Leighey House

East End Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia

East End Cemetery, founded in the 1890s, is an historic Black cemetery in Richmond, Virginia... The site was seemingly forgotten by the 1980s and the woods and weeds reclaimed it.

We would like to acknowledge the immense work that @friendsofeastend have done at the #eastendcemetery over the years. They have reclaimed the land, they have rediscovered the history, they have made progress toward returning ancestors to their descendants.

We would like to acknowledge what is happening there right now with the @enrichmondfoundation at thehelm. What appears to be animosity towards prospective partners, previous stewards of the space, and an overall lack of transparency leave us feeling very concerned for East End and the descendants of the interred.

Ownership of the land  AND the stewardship of an historic Black cemetery is about trust, love and respect. It is not about profit. It is not about tourism. It is not about gentrification of sacred spaces.