Martin Luther King Jr. Day of service in Worcester County
SALISBURY, Md. — The African American Heritage Society of Snow Hill partnered with Coolspring United Methodist Church for a service project in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Volunteer Martina Wharton said, “We don’t preserve it, it’s lost, and we can’t afford, in this day and age, to lose our history, to lose our roots. We just can’t do it.”
Wharton has been cleaning the cemetery for the past four years, uncovering history piece by piece.
“We’re just so blessed. Where our parents and grandparents came from, if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be where we are. We wouldn’t have the opportunities we’ve had, so it’s just important to keep that legacy and keep things alive,” Wharton said.
The cemetery dates back to the mid-1800s, with the youngest person believed to be buried around 1819.
Dr. Maria Blake, president of the African American Heritage Society of Snow Hill, said, “There’s rich history here. We also have people buried here who fought in the Civil War. Before the war, they were slaves and also free men and women.”
Despite its rich history, much of it is said to be lost. Students from Salisbury University have been helping Dr. Blake, and together they have detected more than 200 graves, some marked, some not.
“This is our history. These are people who lived in this area. These are people who lived maybe one or two miles from the tree box on Stockton, you name it. This is not only Coolspring history, this is Worcester County’s history,” Dr. Blake said.
While the cemetery is now a final resting place for many, it was also once a place of worship.
Dr. Blake said, “This is where slaves came to worship, to sing, to fellowship with one another. We don’t know if they came during the day, but we assume they probably came at night. That has significant value to us because we are their descendants.”
The group worked from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. cleaning the cemetery but is always looking for more volunteers. Over the past four years, volunteer numbers have dwindled, making it more difficult to uncover not only their families’ history but also the history of other families on the Eastern Shore.
Amari Wharton, who has been helping at the cemetery for four years, said it’s been amazing to see the hard work and watch families piece together their history.
“I’ve appreciated cleaning up the cemetery and being with my family,” Wharton said. “Me, my grandma, sometimes my brother, and my cousin—we always come out when they’re doing this. It’s just wow to see how many people came out here, and now nobody comes anymore. One year, there were so many people, but now it’s just us.”
The group cleans the cemetery twice a year. For more information on how to get involved, visit their Facebook.
