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Indybay Feature

Displacement and Denigration of the Cemetery for Negro Hills, California

by ~Bradley (bradley [at] riseup.net)
Racist headstones have marked the relocated resting place of Negro Hills, California pioneers since 1954. When the Folsom Dam was created in 1954, along with Folsom Lake, numerous communities, including those making up Negro Hills, were submerged under the water of the American River (previously known as el Rio de las Americas when the land was governed by Mexico). Before the communities were submerged, the cemeteries were dug up and moved to a location near the new lake called Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery. The cemetery is in present day El Dorado Hills, on Shadowfax Lane off of Green Valley Road next to Folsom Prison.

After almost 60 years, actions are finally underway to install new headstones with an accurate town name, rather than the racial slur that has marked the graves of 36 "unknown" people from Negro Hills, California.
mormon-island-relocation-cemetery_6-5-11.jpg
In April, 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District responded to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Associated Press by publishing their files related to their relocation in 1954 of 13 cemeteries and private burial plots to the Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery during the construction of Folsom Dam.

"We are deeply ashamed and regretful to find this word in our records, and for having perpetuated a hateful, racist word that has no place in public discourse," said Sacramento District commander, Lt. Col. Andrew Kiger. He continues, "We can only say with certainty that it is reflective of a shameful period in American history when racial intolerance was commonplace."

It has taken a tremendous amount of pressure from activists, including Michael Harris and the Negro Hill Burial Ground Project, as well as Dr. Ralph White and the Stockton Black Leadership Council, to get numerous governmental agencies to take action in regards to the racist headstones for pioneers of Negro Hills. As early as 2005, Michael Harris has been publishing on Indybay (San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center) to educate and organize people for taking collective action to bring dignity to Negro Hills, California.

Background information and more developments in this story are available on Indybay, and various websites, including the Mountain Democrat, said to be California's Oldest Newspaper -- Est. 1851.

Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery, El Dorado Hills, El Dorado County, California
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/09/18679280.php
August 1999, by Peter Kroff, Eagle Scout

Gravestone changes under way
http://www.mtdemocrat.com/opinion/editorials/gravestone-changes-under-way/
May 26th, 2011

More appropriate headstones asked
http://www.mtdemocrat.com/news/more-appropriate-headstones-asked/
April 28th, 2011

Gravestones to be removed; process unclear
http://www.villagelife.com/news/gravestones-to-be-removed-process-unclear/
May 25th, 2011

Black Agriculture - Negro Hill Burial Ground Project
http://www.blackagriculture.com/negro_hill_burial_ground_project

The Unknowns - Part 4
http://weeklypioneer.blogspot.com/2011/05/unknowns-part-4.html
May 9, 2011

Gravestones used as retaining wall?
http://folsomtelegraph.com/detail/178260.html
May 11, 2011

Dignity and Respect for Black Gold Rush Pioneers ~ 2006 Mountain Democrat (Placerville)
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/06/18679046.php

Activist Seeks to Bury for Good Act of Racism Festering in Foothills ~ 2006 Sacramento Bee
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/01/18599768.php
§Pioneer Cemetery Commission
by ~Bradley
pioneer-cemetery-comm_6-5-11.jpg
§Morman Island Relocation Cemetery
by ~Bradley
mormon-island-cemetery_6-5-11.jpg
§Salmon Falls
by ~Bradley
salmon-falls_6-5-11.jpg
§Morman Island
by ~Bradley
morman-island_6-5-11.jpg
§Dotons Bar
by ~Bradley
dotons-bar_6-5-11.jpg
§Negro Hill Cemetery
by ~Bradley
negro-hill-cemetery_6-5-11.jpg
§Negro Hill
by ~Bradley
unknown-negro-hill_6-5-11.jpg
§Freshly Removed Headstone
by ~Bradley
freshly-removed-headstone_6-5-11.jpg
§Negro Hill
by ~Bradley
negro-hill_6-5-11.jpg
§Recently Removed Headstone
by ~Bradley
recently-removed-headstone_6-5-11.jpg
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by michael harris
john_knight2.jpg
A full Federal Hate Crime investigation of the ongoing egregious civil rights violations should occur to ferret out the ongoing challenges.

The collaborative partnership leading the past 30 day effort seems to have lost complete control of civil order.

Clearly the planned and current changes were designed by a "secret agenda" on full display.

The decade long effort of the Negro Hill Burial Ground Project will take our case to Washington D.C.

Sadly, the original California Pioneers are not respected, talked about or in any conversation of the current decision makers.

Michael Harris, Director
Negro Hill Burial Ground Project
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