Archaeologists and scientists in Virginia have discovered the graves of three men who were members of the congregation of one of America’s oldest Black churches in the early 19th century. The First Baptist Church was founded in 1776 by free and enslaved Black people in Williamsburg, Virginia, at a time when laws prevented African Americans from gathering in groups. Initially, members congregated in fields and under trees. The church site, which had been paved over in the 20th century, has been identified as having over 60 burial plots.
DNA testing, bone analysis, and archaeological evidence, including 19th-century coffin nails, were used to examine three sets of remains. Only one set could provide adequate DNA, indicating that the deceased was a Black man between the ages of 16 and 18 who was 5ft 4in tall. The young man’s grave appeared to be marked by an upside-down, empty wine bottle. His teeth indicated he had experienced some kind of stress, which may have been malnutrition or disease. The young man’s childhood health was considered a good indicator of the wider population’s health.
The other two sets of remains belonged to men between the ages of 35 and 45. One of them was likely the oldest of the three and was found with a copper straight pin that likely bound clothing or a funeral shroud. The other man was buried in a vest and trousers and appeared to have been an enslaved worker.
The discovery of these graves sheds light on the country’s deep history of slavery and segregation. Black Americans were often excluded from white-owned cemeteries and built their own burial spaces as a form of resistance.
Many of these grounds and cemeteries are at risk of being lost and lack support, but descendants of those buried are working to preserve them. The original meeting house of the First Baptist Church was destroyed by a tornado in 1834. Its second structure, built in 1856, was on the same site for a century before the land was purchased by the Colonial Williamsburg museum in 1956 and turned into a parking lot.
In recent years, Colonial Williamsburg has been working to tell a more complete story of the area’s history, including the experiences of African Americans. The organization plans to use the discovery of the graves to further its efforts to commemorate the site of the burials and honor the lives of the individuals who were buried there.
“This discovery adds to a growing body of knowledge about the lives of African Americans in Williamsburg and the surrounding area,” said Jack Gary, director of archaeology at Colonial Williamsburg. “It’s important for us to share this history with the public so that we can better understand our past and work towards a better future.”
The graves at First Baptist Church are just one example of the many Black burial grounds and cemeteries throughout the United States that highlight the country’s deep history of slavery and segregation. Many Black Americans were excluded from white-owned cemeteries and built their own burial spaces as a form of resistance.
Unfortunately, many of these burial grounds and cemeteries are at risk of being lost and lack support for preservation efforts. The discovery of the graves at First Baptist Church underscores the need for greater awareness and protection of these important historical sites.
The recent discovery of three graves at First Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Virginia, sheds light on the lives of African Americans in the early 19th century and the challenges they faced during a time of slavery and segregation. The graves are a reminder of the important role that Black churches played in the lives of African Americans, both as a place of worship and as a place to bury their loved ones.
The discovery also highlights the need for greater awareness and protection of Black burial grounds and cemeteries throughout the United States, many of which are at risk of being lost to history. Colonial Williamsburg’s efforts to commemorate the site of the burials and tell a more complete story of the area’s history are an important step in preserving these important historical sites and honoring the lives of those who were buried there.
