Eden Cemetery (Collingdale, Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
Eden Cemetery is a historic African-American cemetery located in Collingdale
, Delaware Country
, Pennsylvania
, near Philadelphia.
The oldest African-American-owned cemetery in the United States, it was established June 20, 1902. When other black cemeteries in Philadelphia were condemned by the city in the early 20th century, including the Olive Graveyard, Lebanon Graveyard, and Stephen Smith Home Burial Ground, the bodies were re-interred at Eden. The cemetery is still in operation.
In July 2008, vandals toppled over 200 headstones in the cemetery, including that of Octavius Valentine Catto.
Collingdale, Pennsylvania
Collingdale is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,664, at the 2000 census, 502 above the 1940 count of 8,162.-Geography:Collingdale is located at ....
, Delaware Country
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, near Philadelphia.
The oldest African-American-owned cemetery in the United States, it was established June 20, 1902. When other black cemeteries in Philadelphia were condemned by the city in the early 20th century, including the Olive Graveyard, Lebanon Graveyard, and Stephen Smith Home Burial Ground, the bodies were re-interred at Eden. The cemetery is still in operation.
In July 2008, vandals toppled over 200 headstones in the cemetery, including that of Octavius Valentine Catto.
Notable interments
- Marian AndersonMarian AndersonMarian Anderson was an African-American contralto and one of the most celebrated singers of the twentieth century...
(1897–1993), opera singer - Octavius Valentine Catto (1839–1871), civil rights leader, baseball pioneer (originally buried in Lebanon Cemetery, Philadelphia; transferred to Eden, May 14, 1903)
- Frank T. ColemanFrank ColemanFrank "Tick" Coleman was an educator and community volunteer. Born in Washington, D.C., Coleman grew up in its Point Breeze neighborhood. He was one of the first black Eagle Scouts...
(1911–2008), educator and community volunteer - Tyrone Everett (1953–1977), Philadelphia professional boxer
- Jessie Redmon FausetJessie Redmon FausetJessie Redmon Fauset was an American editor, poet, essayist and novelist. Fauset was most known for being the editor of the NAACP magazine the Crisis. She also was the editor and co-author for the African American children magazine called Brownies' Book...
(1882–1961), editor, poet, essayist and novelist - Timothy Thomas FortuneTimothy Thomas FortuneTimothy Thomas Fortune was an orator, civil rights leader, journalist, writer, editor and publisher. He was born during slavery in Marianna, Jackson County, Florida to Emanuel and Sarah Jane Fortune.-Early life:...
(1856–1928), journalist, civil rights leader - Stanislaus Kostka Govern (1854–1924), West Indian–American baseball player, first manager of the Cuban Giants, labor organizer, journalist, and Shakespearean actor
- Frances HarperFrances HarperFrances Ellen Watkins Harper was an African American abolitionist and poet. Born free in Baltimore, Maryland, she had a long and prolific career, publishing her first book of poetry at twenty and her first novel, the widely praised Iola Leroy, at age 67.-Life and works:Frances Ellen Watkins was...
(1825–1911), poet, abolitionist - Robert PennRobert PennRobert Penn was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
(1872–1912), Spanish American War Medal of Honor Recipient - William Still (1821–1902), abolitionist
- John Baxter Taylor, Jr.John Taylor (athlete)John Baxter Taylor Jr. was an American track and field athlete, notable as the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal...
(1882–1908), track and field athlete, first African-American Olympic Gold Medalist. - Charles Albert Tindley (1851–1933), minister, composer
- George Henry WhiteGeorge Henry WhiteGeorge Henry White was a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1897 and 1901. He is considered the last African American Congressman of the Reconstruction era, although his election came twenty years after the era's "official" end...
(1852–1918), US Congressman from North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Sources
- Thomas H. Keels, Philadelphia Graveyards & Cemeteries, 2003, Arcadia Publishing, Philadelphia, ISBN 073851229X
External links
- Article at PhillyGraves.com
- Eden Memorial Cemetery at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...