Created in 1891, Evergreen Cemetery is the resting place for many of Richmond’s African-American leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Maggie L. Walker, John Mitchell, Jr. and Rev. J. Andrew Bowler. There are an estimated 5,000 plots in Evergreen, most of which have become overgrown after years of neglect. The Enrichmond Foundation acquired the historic Evergreen Cemetery in May of 2017, with the intention of restoring and preserving the grounds with the goal of making it public and accessible to all. The foundation will hold an engagement workshop at Evergreen Cemetery, located at 50 Evergreen Rd, on Saturday, November 4 from 9 a.m. to noon to get the community’s input on the restoration of the historic and sacred grounds. Organizers of Saturday’s session say that the event will allow the community an opportunity to participate in determining the next steps for Evergreen’s future.

“Protecting and restoring Evergreen Cemetery as a safe, scenic and public place will only happen if we’re working hand in hand with the families of those interred and local community members, corporations, nonprofit partners and federal, state and local government,” says John Sydnor, executive director of The Enrichmond Foundation. “That’s what this Saturday’s workshop­ is all about. It’s a first step in making sure we can hear the community’s feedback as we carry out this important and humbling work.”

Made possible by Dominion Energy, the event is hosted by The Enrichmond Foundation in partnership with Stantec and VCU’s Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA). For more information, visit https://enrichmond.org.