Activists fight to save historic cemetery
A new data center project in Hampton, Georgia, is causing concern among community members and preservationists due to its proximity to a historic Black cemetery. Activists are fighting to protect the sacred burial grounds, while city officials have established a 50-foot buffer and are working to get the cemetery on historical registries.
A significant data center development in Hampton, Georgia, is raising alarms within the community over its potential impact on a historic Black cemetery. The construction site, located near South Lee Road and lower Woosley Road, is adjacent to the burial grounds, which contain the remains of 54 documented individuals and 16 undocumented enslaved people.
Shawndrea Gay and Efaye Lloyd, representing Honor Thy Roots Cemetery Preservation Inc., are leading efforts to protect the sacred site. They expressed distress over what they perceive as a lack of consideration from developers, emphasizing the importance of preserving these abandoned and forgotten African American cemeteries.
Hampton Mayor Ann Tarpley confirmed that the city has established a 50-foot buffer between the data center project and the cemetery to prevent destruction. The city is also collaborating with external organizations to clean up and restore the long-neglected grounds, with a primary goal of securing its placement on both state and national historical registries. Mayor Tarpley clarified that the cemetery is a distinct entity, situated approximately a football field away from the development.
While the registration process is underway and the city plans for restoration work, the exact timeline for these efforts remains undetermined.