2005
South Asheville Cemetery Association

The South Asheville Cemetery is a two-acre burial ground that serves as the final resting place for approximately 2,000 African Americans. The cemetery fell into disrepair during the mid-20th century, but in the 1980s members of the St. John “A” Baptist Church community, most notably George Gibson and George Taylor, began restoration efforts on the property. It was brought back to the public’s attention over this time period when a series of oral history recordings, now housed at the UNC-Asheville Special Collections Library, documented people’s recollections of the cemetery. Over the last 30 years, thousands of volunteers have worked with members of the South Asheville Cemetery Association to improve and maintain this sacred and historical site in an effort to promote greater public awareness of African American history in Buncombe County and to honor the people buried there.