“Sacred to the Hart”*: Identity and Dignity as Reflected in the Memorial Landscapes of Postemancipation African Americans in Pensacola, Florida
Published online on July 03, 2021
Abstract
["Social Science Quarterly, Volume 102, Issue 3, Page 1056-1073, May 2021. ", "\n\nObjective\nThis article broadens the discussion of 19th century monuments associated with the Lost Cause by exploring the monument landscapes of post‐emancipation African American cemeteries and the people who are associated with them.\n\n\nMethod\nExemplars from several cemeteries in Pensacola, Florida, are used to examine how the postemancipation population maintained deep ties to their cultural roots while assimilating into society as free people.\n\n\nResults\nThe built environment of postemancipation African American cemeteries contains monuments reflecting black identity and dignity in life and in death.\n\n\nConclusions\nExamining a broader sample of memorial landscapes can be a starting point in expanding the national dialogue on our country's history in a more inclusive fashion. Historic cemeteries, especially African American cemeteries established post‐Civil War, offer an excellent means of doing this in a manner that almost all citizens can understand and respect.\n\n"]