For the first time, Black veterans laid to rest at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Manassas, Virginia, are receiving special recognition this Veterans Day.
The local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion Post recently learned about the African American cemetery and the fact it had been overlooked in traditional ceremonies.
Once located in the countryside, Rose Hill Cemetery is now surrounded by industrial buildings. It’s hard to see or find unless you know where to look. The cemetery dates back to the mid-1800s and was created during segregation. It’s now owned and maintained by the city.
“Growing up, it was the Black cemetery. It was where the African Americans all came,” said Manassas Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger.
When local VFW Post historian Jerry Martin recently learned about the cemetery, he was struck to find veterans’ graves, like that of Buffalo soldier George Butler. A few others are recognized at their gravesite for their military service. Martin realized there were likely many more veterans buried there whose markers were too old and worn to identify.
“When you look through the cemetery, you see how many unmarked plots there are. You know there are veterans resting in this place and they’re not identified and they’re not honored,” he said. “[…] Nothing was being done here and I said, ‘Why is that?’”
The VFW Post 75-89 and American Legion Post 10 immediately stepped up.
“He brought me up here and we looked and I said, we gotta get this, we gotta get this because if you look, there were a lot of veterans buried here but no one ever paid attention to it,” said Wayne Moore, VFW Post 7589 commander.
On Memorial Day, for the first time, they placed flags on the graves of known service members. But they had a more ambitious plan — raising several thousand dollars for a memorial bench dedicated last Friday to recognize other Black veterans buried there.
“In the Marine Corps and all the services, you don’t leave anybody behind. You don’t forget them, and this is part of that. You can’t forget our past and what these men did,” said Stan Moore, American Legion Post 10 commander. “[…] Probably a lot of the gentlemen here didn’t have a good reason to like America, but they still fought for America.”
The men said they hope the bench and its inscription will send a new message to families who visit to remember and mourn.
“People will come, and it will give them a place to sit and reflect and realize we are here for them,” Stan Moore said. That’s what our goal is. We’re here for the veterans and their families.”
And from now on, this cemetery will be treated like so many others on important holidays.
“Veterans Day, Memorial Day, we bring the flags. In December, we put out the wreaths. We will take care of this post from now on,” Wayne Moore said.
As word gets out, these men said they’re hopeful descendants will be able to help to identify the veterans whose names — as the bench inscription says — are, for now, “known but to God.”
