Preservation Society of Charleston

In 2021, Charleston City Council adopted a gravesite protection ordinance after several high-profile development impacts to unmarked burial grounds. The Preservation Society of Charleston took the next step, partnering with a variety of community groups, including the Anson Street African Burial Ground Project, to identify and map black burial grounds. By combining historical and documentary research with extensive community meetings and input, the Black Burial Ground Mapping effort produced a state-of-the-art, publicly accessible GIS-based map with photographs and historical documentation, which has been integrated into the City of Charleston's GIS platforms, providing a vital planning tool that continues to evolve.

With more than 202 burial sites documented and included in the map, the jury recognized that the Black Burial Grounds project enables proactive protection and awareness of these sites and has helped build networks, relationships, and communication throughout the region.

LEARN MORE HERE: https://www.preservationsociety.org/what-we-do/preservation-initiatives/mapping-charlestons-black-burial-grounds/