| Marker Text |
These three acres form the oldest known African American burial ground in Dewitt County. Dating back to the 1800s, Lockhart once thrived as a rural farming community for African Americans. Its earliest settlers included sharecroppers and former slaves. The Lockhart Community Cemetery, along with the local school and churches, formed the center of community life in Lockhart. Purchased in 1910 by the Lockhart Colored Cemetery Association with George McNary, Sandy Wimbish, Henry McNary and Joe Johnson as original trustees, the burial grounds reflect the culture and social structure of the African American settlement. There are 263 known graves, many veterans, as well as a former slave, Paul Wimbish, who became a very successful Dewitt County business owner. The earliest recorded burial dates to 1884. A number of unmarked graves suggest the designated use of the site before its formal organization in the early 20th century. The structural elements of the headstones varied, with some fashioned out of organic materials that have long since decomposed. Existing headstones exemplify the southern folk tradition, illustrated by handmade concrete markers that include decorative tilework and hand-etched inscriptions. Many of the simple carvings denote family relationships and the community’s sense of faith. The early burial ground, whose plots are often grouped in family clusters, echo the importance of rural kinship within the agricultural hamlet. Coupled with Lockhart’s decline in the mid-twentieth century, the cemetery fell into disrepair. Recent efforts to maintain the site continue in order to protect the history and legacy of the African American agrarian community it represents. |
