Historic African American Cemetery Resources DreamWeek Event

From 2015 to the present, extensive efforts have been made to document and protect three rare, and endangered, century old African American cemeteries located within the boundaries of City Council District 10, represented by Councilman Marc Whyte:
Griffin Family Cemetery
Hockley-Clay Family Cemetery
Winters-Jackson-Anthony Cemetery

District 10 Councilman and staff collaborated with descendants of the cemeteries and landscape architect and architect, Everett Fly, in building a coalition of neighbors, adjacent property owners, businesses, city departments, and interested citizens for the purpose of physically protecting and restoring original elements and boundaries. Each of the cemetery properties was donated from land owned by formerly enslaved, and free, African Americans. Archaeological tools and techniques have been employed to verify evidence of burials. Historical and genealogical research has documented civic and cultural contributions of the extended families across the Bexar County region.

In 2022 the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) officially designated the Hockley-Clay Cemetery as a local “Cultural Heritage District.” OHP also acknowledged the significance, genealogical and geographic relationships between the Griffin Family Cemetery and the Winters-Jackson-Anthony Cemetery, also in District 10.

A virtual round table forum will be held to report on the collaborative process used to document the cemeteries as significant cultural landscapes and position the properties for additional historic designation. The panel will include the following participants:
A. Scholar – to be named
B. Historian – to be named
C. Archaeologist – to be named
D. Griffin, Hockley-Clay and Winters family descendants

The discussion will highlight significant historic African American resources in Bexar County and issues facing endangered and underrepresented properties. Topics will include heirs’ property, community education of the significance of black settlements and cemeteries, a status report on the ‘Cultural Heritage Designation,” and the proposed national “African American Burial Grounds Network Act”.

The public will be permitted to access the Hockley-Clay Cemetery site from 11:30pm – 1:30 pm. The cemetery site is not ADA accessible. It is recommended that visitors wear sturdy, closed toe, walking/hiking shoes.