Government leaders in Arlington County, Virginia, are moving ahead with further discussions to grant special recognition to a local Black church’s cemetery.
The Mount Salvation Baptist Church was founded in 1879 and has laid dozens of people to rest on their grounds since the early 20th century.
WTOP confirms the matter will be brought up during public hearings at the next Planning Commission session on Feb. 8 and will then go before the Arlington County Board at their next meeting on Feb. 20.
“If we don’t preserve it now, we risk losing the history,” County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said.
January 29, 2021 at 3:45pm
The Mount Salvation Baptist Church cemetery which served as the final resting place Black Arlingtonians denied access to white graveyards could be granted a historic district designation by the Arlington County Board.
As part of the consent agenda at its Jan. 23 meeting, the County Board approved advertisement of public hearings to review the designation of the cemetery at 1961 N. Culpeper Street at the Monday, Feb. 8 Planning Commission meeting and at the Saturday, Feb. 20 County Board meeting.
“There are many community members in this church and I’ve been there to listen and pay respects,” said County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti. “This is historic preservation done well to help us remember our African-American community and history. The final resting places in this burial ground, it’s important for us to recognize this for historic preservation.”