About Friends of Geer Cemetery

Friends of Geer Cemetery works to reclaim, restore, and respect one of Durham’s first burial grounds for the African American public. We reject the erasure of African American history and culture by honoring the lives and legacies of those laid to rest in this sacred place through preservation, storytelling, education, and community-building.

Friends of Geer Cemetery Mission Statement

The Friends of Geer Cemetery was established as a grass roots organization in 2003. In 2019, the group reorganized and we are now a 501c3 non-profit organization. Our activities include:

  • Site cleanup
  • Restoration of headstones
  • Identification of graves
  • Researching and reporting on the histories of those buried here
  • Actively involving descendants of those buried here in our work and with each other

Sankofa is a word in the Akan Twi and Fanti languages of Ghana. The word translates to “retrieve” or “go back and get it.” It signifies the need to learn from the past in order to prepare for what is to come. The meaning reinforces the inborn idea that community and family should respect and reclaim stories of the past. In the present, these stories can guide us toward a more enlightened future.

In 1984, the Black Bishops of the United States issued a statement that included these words: “Sincere reconciliation builds on mutual recognition and mutual respect.”  Working together, we hope to “reach back,” find related stories of the past and the present, and make certain the historical and physical significance of Geer Cemetery is here for people today and tomorrow.

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Highlights

Restoration Event 2019