Mount Zion Cemetery, African American cemetery in Georgetown, United States
Mount Zion Cemetery comprises two adjacent burial grounds situated along 27th Street and Mill Road in Washington D.C. The grounds feature simple marble headstones marking underground brick vaults that have held remains across more than two centuries.
The burial ground began in 1808 as a Methodist cemetery that initially served both white and Black individuals. After 1849, it transformed into a predominantly African American burial place as the community's needs changed.
The cemetery served as a burial place for freed Black families and community members who needed a dedicated space of their own. It remains a place where visitors can honor those histories and pay respects to people who built the early African American community here.
Visitors can explore the grounds on designated paths and find information about the history on site. The location is best reached on foot, and it helps to check in advance whether group visits are available.
The western section was purchased in 1842 by the Female Union Band Society, a group of freed Black women who took action themselves. These women organized to create a burial place that belonged entirely to their own community.
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