Over 180 flags mark unnamed graves at African American burial site

CHARLOTTE — A mission to mark unnamed graves in Mecklenburg County has led to the placement of over 180 flags at burial sites along Ridge Road and Morehead Road.

The effort aims to preserve the legacy of what is identified as an African American burial site, where the Siloam Presbyterian Church once stood before it burned down in 1958.

“With all the new development and things that have been built around it, we just want to make sure that our ancestors and everybody here is not forgotten,” said Denise Turner, a relative of someone buried at the site.

Environmental scientists identified the graves at the site, families told Channel 9.

Family members said they are working towards having the cemetery recognized as a historical landmark. This designation would help protect the site from future development and ensure that the history of those buried there is acknowledged.

WATCH: Roots for Rivers program seeks volunteers to maintain creekside trees