Scouts are led to restore historic black cemetery

Griffin Burchard never forgot the dilapidated Virginia cemetery named after one of the most famous African Americans of the 19th century.

Burchard first spotted Douglass Memorial Cemetery — named for orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass — while on a service trip with his Boy Scout troop about three years ago. The scouts were supposed to be removing faded wreaths from pristine rows of graves inside the well-maintained Alexandria National Cemetery.

But Burchard’s eyes were drawn to the rundown plot just down the street.

“I noticed that, unlike all the other cemeteries in the complex, it was not being kept up,” said Burchard, 16. “There were fallen leaves, signs of flooding and trees with limbs hanging so far over you couldn’t even read the sign that says, ‘Douglass.’”

On a recent afternoon, Burchard stood in that same cemetery, now swept clean of debris, and smiled as he watched a fellow Boy Scout whip away a black cloth to reveal a brandnew sign for the plot. It was the culmination of a monthslong restoration project Burchard undertook to earn Eagle Scout status — and it was timed to coincide with the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans’ arrival in Virginia.

Douglass Cemetery contains about 600 headstones, though city records show at least 1,900 people, all African American, were buried there between the 1890s and 1975, said City of Alexandria archaeologist Benjamin Skolnik. Some were likely enslaved, and many are almost certainly descendants of enslaved people, according to Skolnik.

In addition to detailing a brief history of the cemetery, Burchard’s marker quotes Douglass: “Without a struggle, there can be no progress.”

Donald Fest, the pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, called Burchard’s work “an act of graciousness and honor.” Burchard said he hopes the restoration commemorates those buried in Douglass Cemetery — and the plot’s namesake.

“He was a great example of a citizen who impacted his community ... our nation and our world through his lifelong and tireless work,” Burchard said. “This project has made me want to be a great citizen.”

Burchard said Douglass Cemetery fell into disrepair over the years because no Alexandria church or nonprofit cared for it; often, cemeteries are maintained by congregations.

Skolnik said the city allocates some money for the cemetery’s upkeep — mostly for mowing — but admitted the site needs more. Spurred by Burchard’s restoration efforts, city officials a few weeks ago obtained a roughly $10,000 grant from the state of Virginia to survey the plot and determine how many people are buried there.

HANNAH NATANSON / WASHINGTON POST Sixteen-year-old Griffin Burchard (right) has been working to restore the Frederick Douglass Cemetery, a historic black cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia, that had fallen into disrepair.