Historic North Jersey Black burial site open this weekend in honor of Black History Month
The public this weekend will get the opportunity to visit one of North Jersey's historic Black burial sites.
The Gethsemane Cemetery in Little Ferry will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for self-guided tours in recognition of Black History Month.
The cemetery is the final resting place of 500 African Americans, including formerly enslaved persons, local business owners, and two Civil War veterans. It was founded in 1860 as a burial ground for Hackensack’s African American population, since they were not permitted to be buried in the general Hackensack cemetery.
The cemetery is located between Summit Place and Liberty Street, with the entrance on Summit Place, north of Route 46 in Little Ferry. It is owned by Bergen County and is overseen by the county's Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.
Those who are not able to visit the cemetery can access a recorded tour of Gethsemane Cemetery filmed by Bergen County featuring historian Dr. Arnold Brown of Englewood, who was instrumental in getting the county to restore the site and declare the cemetery a county historical landmark.
For more information, contact the Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs at 201-336-7272.
Ricardo Kaulessar covers race, immigration, and culture for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com
Twitter: @ricardokaul
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ Black burial site open this weekend for Black History Month
