The Boyd-Carter Cemetery

I have been living in West Virginia for eight years now. I moved out here because it peaceful and beautiful. Prior to me moving here, I had no idea of the scope of African American history I would be surrounded by. Did you know that the NAACP was started in West Virginia. That’s right, it had its origins at a little known college called Storer College. Storer College was the catalyst of the Niagara Movement, the forerunner of the NAACP. It is in Harpers Ferry West Virginia. Ever heard of Taylor Strauder? In 1872 he was indicted for the murder of his wife in Wheeling West Virginia. He was convicted and sentenced to be hung. He appealed the ruling all the way up to the Supreme Court. They sided with Strauder and it is because of him that African Americans had a legal right to be seated on a jury and be judged by other African Americans as their peers. Before then African Americans and non- whites were barred from sitting on a jury. The verdict was thrown out because there were no black jurors on the jury. Was Strauder eventually re-tried with black jurors on the jury and was he still hung? I couldn’t find any record to attest to his disposition after the Supreme Court decision. Did racist find other ways to prevent blacks from being on juries? Absolutely. Anyway, I have only scratched the surface with regards to the history that African Americans in West Virginia have contributed to the liberties we enjoy today. Here is a link to the timeline of African American history made in West Virginia.

Speaking of the word liberty, it is again under assault in the guise of economic vitality and modernization empowerment. In Jefferson County West Virginia, a small historic cemetery with the remain of about 80 African Americans is at risk. It has been there for over 110 years. But now a greedy multinational company called Rockwool and a small traitorous utility company have teamed up to desecrate or destroy the remnants of the small plot of land that is the resting place of ancestors unable to defend themselves against a brutish and ugly threat. Among the those buried in the cemetery are people who lived and worked here all their lives and veterans of two world wars and numerous other battles fought to save from tyranny, yet now lie unprotected and exposed to the same in the place of their birth.

These two entities have conspired to poison our land, air and children. They care not of the dash between the years. They bring their monstrous mechanisms to violate and blaspheme the sacred ground, with no utterance save the headstone crushed under their vile willingness. They will not retreat unless good people stand for those who once stood for them. The honored dead and the forgotten black sons and daughters of West Virginia call out to our unyielding and mighty conscious, that we may not fail them and in turn ourselves. We will stand in the truth… there but for the grace of God go I.

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