Black history remembered at Kinderhook Persons of Color Cemetery – Times Union

KINDERHOOK The Persons of Color Cemetery serves as a silent reminder of this Columbia County towns past, and the hard-working, lesser-known non-white population that helped shape it. Formerly known by residents as a slaves cemetery, the remains of an estimated 500 African Americans, enslaved and freed persons alike, were laid to rest on a quarter-acre of land in the village during the mid-1800s.

For years this burial ground laid fallow and forgotten in an overgrown section of Rothermel Park. Its weathered headstones, hidden by tall grass and weeds, were visited occasionally by children chasing a stray ball that escaped the adjacent baseball field. It was rediscovered only a few years ago, thanks to the stalwart research efforts of former Kinderhook historian Ruth Piwonka, who led to an investigation into the history of the cemetery and its acceptance to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Ruth Piwonka was my mentor, said Kate Johnson, appointed village historian last fall after Piwonkas passing. The Persons of Color Cemetery is an important community touchstone. I relate to it emotionally and intellectually as a historian and someone who grew up here. This is a very important piece of our community history.

Before it was a cemetery, this small parcel of land belonged to Irish immigrant John Rogers, who set aside a quarter-acre of his own land as a cemetery for the people of colour In November 1815. The first U.S. census of 1790 recorded 4,661 persons in the township of Kinderhook, 730 Heads of Families and a total of 638 slaves.

The interpretive sign at the cemetery reads: By about 1875 the cemetery was filled; more than 500 persons are estimated to be interred here. It was closed that year, with coffin upon coffin as stated by Edward A. Collier in his 1914 book, A History of Old Kinderhook. This estimate of 500 internments in a quarter-acre plot (which is 10,980 square feet) allows for 21 square feet per burial (about 3 feet wide by 7 feet long), with children having smaller plots.

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At Saturdays Juneteenth Celebration in Rothermel Park, Elena Mosley, founder and director of operations and Unite Education and Cultural Arts Center, along with members of the Kuumba Dance and Drum Academy in Hudson, encouraged onlookers to join the drum circle and later proceed across the field to lay a wreath at the cemetery with Reverend Kim Singletary, the first woman to Pastor the Payne AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church in Chatham.

At Saturdays Juneteenth Celebration in Rothermel Park, Elena Mosley, founder and director of operations and Unite Education and Cultural Arts Center, along with members of the Kuumba Dance and Drum Academy in Hudson, encouraged onlookers to join the drum circle and later proceed across the field to lay a wreath at the cemetery with Reverend Kim Singletary, the first woman to Pastor the Payne AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church in Chatham.

The interpretive sign at the Persons of Color Cemetery.

The Persons of Color Cemetery was recognized on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Archaeologists from the New York State Museum conducted a ground-penetrating radar survey at the burial ground in November 2017. Preliminary findings seemed to echo Collier's earlier comment, showing a large number of interments, many clustered together, burial on top of burial. The findings are still being calculated.

Before the cemetery was rededicated in May 2017, an archaeological dig to place the interpretive sign at the site exposed a small bone fragment. Found at a depth of only 20 centimeters, it appeared to be a rib, likely that of a small child. The excavation was halted, the bone was left in place, and a more appropriate location was found for the signposts.

The largest gravestone is crafted with a low relief carving in the form of a tulip. Inscribed are the words: The journey of the just is blessed; a tribute of respect erected by the ladies of Kinderhook. This tribute was bestowed upon Isabel Legget, who died in 1854 at the age of 77. The reason for the tribute remains a mystery.

Of the existing gravestones, three belong to adults. Eight stones etched with poetic remembrances mark the deaths of children. What caused their deaths is unknown.

Of the existing gravestones, three belong to adults. Eight stones etched with poetic remembrances mark the deaths of children. What caused their deaths is still unknown.

The largest gravestone is crafted with a low relief carving in the form of a tulip. Inscribed are the words: The journey of the just is blessed; a tribute of respect erected by the ladies of Kinderhook. This tribute was bestowed upon Isabel Legget who died in 1854 at the age of 77. The reason for the tribute remains a mystery.

Forced illiteracy among enslaved persons and a lack of written documents account for why most of the regions Black history from that time period is missing.

Johnson said the cemeterys current location, once part of Rogers backyard and now the village park, is meaningful, in that its part of the everyday lives of people who live in Kinderhook and those who come, even to do something as commonplace as play baseball. Its where people can see it and reflect upon it.

A documentary on the cemetery, Brought to Light: Unearthing the History of an African-American Cemetery in Kinderhook, NY, is available on DVD and Blu-ray. The Persons of Color Cemetery is a historic point of interest on the villages walking and bicycling tour.

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Black history remembered at Kinderhook Persons of Color Cemetery - Times Union