Community Effort to Clean Up the African Cemeteries and Save the Lost Graves in St. Augustine

At the fourth Pinehurst and San Sebastian Cemeteries Restoration Day, passionate people from all over St. Augustine, Jacksonville and even Georgia came out to join in the effort to locate the lost graves, map out the graves and clean up around the gravesites. 

The cemeteries are two of the oldest African American cemeteries in Florida, and in recent years the West Augustine Improvement Association has taken over the cemeteries and is now beginning to host regular cleanup events to keep the cemeteries maintained with little funding. 

Locating the lost graves at the black cemeteries in St. Augustine is a priority for the West Augustine Improvement Association, and the organization is reaching out to the local community for help. 

"The mapping project is basically to find those vaults that do not have markers on them, so we can approach families and make a permanent marker that will honor those people, who are buried there so that their names are not lost to the Florida great outdoors," says Lisa Lewis from the West Augustine Improvement Association and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. "We want to have permanent markers done inexpensively so that they can be remembered for a long time."

St. Augustine Record columnist Artemesia Holloway Jones's grave at the San Sebastian cemetery. Her name marker has completely broken apart.

The organization is hoping to raise funds to replace grave markers that are lost, and they want to start with replacing markers such as the one of St. Augustine Record columnist Artemesia Holloway Jones. Holloway Jones was buried in 1991, but her marker has been disintegrating, and it is no longer legible. 

An example of what the organization is hoping to do is Annie Maud Batie's gravestone below, which her loved ones have made to replace to original black nameplate also pictured. 

Annie Maud Batie's grave marker at the San Sebastian Cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida.

In addition to adding or replacing grave markers, the West Augustine Improvement Association is reaching out to the churches in the area to get in touch with relatives of those buried in the cemeteries, as many of the unmarked graves have not been mapped, and anyone who knows of someone buried at the cemetery is encouraged to contact the organization to get their loved one's information and grave location mapped before it is too late. 

"The West Augustine Improvement Association is in the process of reaching out to churches and local community centers in the West Augustine area to gather the names of family members, who are buried in the Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries," says Lewis. "For churches, who are established in the West Augustine community, we would love to come to your church and talk with you about those people, who have family members who are buried here, so that we can locate them, and make sure that they are not lost so that we can honor them. If you would like to contact us, please have someone reach out through instant messaging on our Facebook page or email us."

Sara Schleicher is ready to clean up the cemeteries with her weedwhacker. 

Sara Schleicher brought her weedwhacker to the cemetery cleanup. "It seems like something important for us to make sure that these spaces are remembered and cared for. Bring whatever you've got. There's plenty to do, you don't need to bring the big tools."

Morgan Kelly cleaning up at the San Sebastian cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida.

"It feels good to be here to help beautify this special, important old cemetery," says Morgan Kelley, who also brought her husband and son Emmett to the cleanup. "I have been wondering who is buried here, and I have a lot of questions about the cemetery."

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lyons Roy

Several members of the Maria Jefferson Chapter of NSDAR came out to help clean up the cemeteries.

Kelsey Kolisnyk and Ryan Robinson at the Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries in St. Augustine.

Kelsey Kolisnyk has been to several cleanup events hosted or co-hosted by the West Augustine Improvement Association, and this was Ryan Robinson's second event at the cemeteries.

After the cemetery cleanup, the volunteers got together to eat hot-of-the-grill ribs and barbecue chicken in addition to southern side dishes courtesy of Mr. John Lyons and a group of dedicated women from the West Augustine community.

As a special treat Ben and Jerry's St. Augustine served ice cream to all of the participants, and there was a lot of buzz about their non-dairy Change the Whirled ice cream flavor made from sunflower butter.

Judith Shaw, Jessica Shaw, and Barnaby Shaw from Ben & Jerry's St. Augustine at the Pinehurst and San Sebastian Cemeteries cleanup

"Every time I hear about this cleanup, I want us to be here. I am so grateful that people care enough to do something like this, and I want to be there to help," says Jessica Shaw from Ben & Jerry's St. Augustine. "I'm so happy and proud. It's a beautiful day, it's a beautiful place, and it should be as beautiful as it is now."

Ryan Robinson giving away native edible plants at the Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries cleanup

Ryan Robinson aka EarthGuyRye had brought edible wild plants to the event, and several of the participants were thrilled to be bringing home new edible natives to their gardens including juniper, hickory nut, Browne's savory, and more. 

The West Augustine Improvement Association hosts two big cleanup events at the Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries every year, but the organization is involved in many other efforts in the West Augustine community. The small group consists of members from inside and outside of the West Augustine community, who share the passion for helping others, and the group is thankful for the help of all of the volunteers and the organizations such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Maria Jefferson Chapter of NSDAR, the West Augustine Nature Society and others, who are always eager to help out at the cemeteries.   

How To Help

If you would like to become a member of the West Augustine Improvement Association, or if you would like to support the association's efforts to restore and maintain Florida's oldest African-American cemeteries in any way, please contact president Willie Cooper, Sr. at westaugimprovementassoc@gmail.com.

The West Augustine Improvement Association also meets every 3rd Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Collier-Blocker-Puryear Park (in the second pavilion) at 10 N Holmes Blvd, St. Augustine. 

The West Augustine Improvement Association is now on Facebook, follow them for updates and new cemetery clean-up events. Message them on Facebook or send an email to westaugimprovementassoc@gmail.com, to get email alerts before cemetery cleanups. 

How to Help with the Restoration and Upkeep of the Oldest African American Cemeteries in Florida:

Follow on The West Augustine Improvement Association:

• Visit the West Augustine Improvement Association website
• Sign up for the West Augustine Improvement Association newsletter
• Follow WAIA on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

In-kind Donations:

• In-kind donations such as maintenance equipment, wheelbarrows, gardening tools, gazebos for clean-up events, nylon-bristle scrub brushes, soft brushes, D2 biological solutions spray, spray bottles, 2 or 3-gallon-sized garden pump sprayers and etc.

Donate Your Time:

• Organizations, faith groups, clubs, schools, and individuals can donate their time one weekend or more a year to help with the maintenance and upkeep.
• Organizations, schools, clubs, churches, or businesses can help host fundraising events.
• A law firm and/or an accounting firm can donate their services and help the association move its mission forward as they try to work with the county.
• Tree trimming companies can donate their time to help with tree maintenance and removal.
• Help spread the word about the condition of Florida's oldest African-American cemeteries through word of mouth and share how to help.
• Use your social media accounts to bring attention to the needs of the West Augustine Improvement Association and their efforts to save the Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries.
• If you know of someone, who might be able to help either via donation of time, services, or funding, reach out and help connect them with Willie Cooper Sr.
• If you are a media organization, consider featuring The Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries to help bring attention to the needs of these and so many other forgotten African-American cemeteries throughout the state and the country.

Become a Member:

• Become a member of the West Augustine Improvement Association for a $10 annual membership fee. 

Donate Funds:

• Send a check made out to the West Augustine Improvement Association and mail it to: 

The West Augustine Improvement Association, 
455 South Volusia St
St. Augustine, FL 32084

Or

• Donate to the Pinehurst & San Sebastian Cemeteries GoFundMe campaign (Raising funds for new gravestones and upkeep)
• Donate to the Sponsor-a-Grave campaign at the Pinehurst & San Sebastian Cemeteries - 1 granite gravestone engraved and installed is $210.
• Donate to the West Augustine Improvement Association through PayPal. (You can use a credit or debit card too)

If you have any questions related to the cemeteries, about making in-kind donations, or if you need a donation receipt, please contact Mr. Willie Cooper, Sr. at Williecoopersr@yahoo.com. 

You can find more details from my research on the Pinehurst and San Sebastian Cemeteries Research page here. 

Learn more about black history in St. Augustine and St. Johns County at:

The Lincolnville Museum & Cultural Center 

102 M. L. King Avenue, 

St. Augustine, FL 32084

The Museum Hours Are: Tuesday - Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

For more information check out the Lincolnville Museum website.

The St. Augustine Historical Society & Research Library

6 Artillery Ln.

St. Augustine, FL 32084

Research Appointments can be made for Tuesday- Friday from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. by calling 904-825-2333 ext. 2.

For more information check out the St. Augustine Historical Society website.

Florida Public Archeology Network (FPAN)

125 Markland Pl.

St. Augustine, FL 32084

For more information check out the Florida Public Archeology Network website.

FamilySearch

FamilySearch is a free, international non-profit organization dedicated to helping people discover information about their ancestors and their family history.

Visit the FamilySearch website to get started.

*This piece was originally posted on the West Augustine News Connection on March 25, 2023.

Find more pieces about the Pinehurst and San Sebastian Cemeteries in St. Augustine here. 

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