Gainesville dedicates memorial to more than 1,100 African American citizens buried in historic Alta Vista Cemetery

Hundreds of small pink flags dot the back section of Gainesville's historic Alta Vista Cemetery, marking burial sites for African American citizens who went largely unrecognized until a ceremony Sunday afternoon.

Late last year, thanks to ground penetrating sonar, city officials discovered remains of 1,146 citizens, most thought to be some of the early African American residents of Gainesville. After the discovery, the Gainesville Public Works Department asked for - and received - in a budget request money to construct a memorial to those unknown residents.

Private entities also came forward, offering monies to enhance the memorial site in Sections 16 and 17 at the back of the historic cemetery. 

Sunday's ceremony included music and prayer and words of appreciation to everyone who made the Memorial Garden a reality.

Each of the graves is now marked with a silver disc. 

The garden is centered with a black granite obelisk engraves with the words, "This memorial stands as our testament that these citizens are important to this community and we embrace them as our own." The obelisk is surrounded by six granite benches, contributed by private groups in Gainesville. 

This story will be updated.

Editor's note: Listen to WDUN's Afternoon News Wrap on Monday, Oct. 23 to learn more about this part of Alta Vista Cemetery's history. 

Former Gainesville City Councilwoman Myrtle Figueras (left) celebrates the day with current Gainesville City Councilwoman Barbara Brooks (right).

Joyce Hunter hands out programs to visitors attending Sunday afternoon's dedication of the Memorial Garden and monument at Alta Vista Cemetery.

Prior to the ceremony, the granite monument is veiled in purple in the center of the Memorial Garden.

Pink flags dot the landscape of the back portion of Alta Vista Cemetery. Each flag represents an unnamed body of an African American citizen buried in the historic cemetery.

A close-up shows the silver discs used to mark each grave.

Dozens of people gather to commemorate the 1,146 African American men, women and children buried in unmarked graves in sections 16 and 17 of historic Alta Vista Cemetery.

The granite monument stands at the center of the Memorial Garden at Alta Vista Cemetery.

Members of the Gainesville-Hall County Black Historical Society pose for a photo on a bench the group purchased at the Memorial Garden.

The St. John Baptist Church Deacons' Chorus sings spirituals during the Sunday afternoon ceremony.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/10/596722/gainesville-dedicates-memorial-to-more-than-1100-african-american-citizens-buried-in-historic-alta-vista-cemetery