In Danville, Virginia, a project is underway to relocate the remains of numerous African American tenant farmers from a former tobacco plantation to a more fitting burial ground. This decision has stirred various emotions among the descendants of these sharecroppers. Some express concerns about disturbing the graves of those who suffered exploitation and enslavement. Yet others see an opportunity for the remains to be identified and reburied with the dignity that was denied to them in life.
The remains, mostly unidentified, are being transferred from a site that was formerly one of the largest slave-owning operations in the United States, making way for the construction of an industrial park. During the time of their original burial, the individuals were not regarded as full humans. However, they are now seen as “patriots emerging from their graves with equal rights in 2025,” as put by Cedric Hairston, a descendant.
Archaeologists have begun the process of excavating approximately 275 burial plots. Some remains of the tenant farmers and their families have been transported to a funeral home and will eventually be moved to the new burial site, about a mile from the original location. Officials have discussed with descendants about using genetic testing to identify the remains and designing the new cemetery, which will include a memorial archway.
One descendant, Jeff Bennett, whose great-great-great-grandfather was interred at the plantation, expressed mixed feelings about the exhumation but appreciates the manner in which the new cemetery is being conceptualized and executed with respectfulness and dignity.
Historically, African American cemeteries have been subject to neglect and destruction, but there is a growing movement to preserve these important links to the past. While generally in favor of relocating the graves, Hairston voiced concerns over the indignity of disturbing the graves of those who endured exploitation.
Oak Hill, the plantation in question, was part of a larger empire that enslaved thousands of people across multiple states. Its owner, Samuel Hairston, was reputedly the biggest enslaver in the South. The estate has remained largely unused since the end of sharecropping, and the plantation’s 1820s house burned down in 1988, leaving little but memories of those who lived and worked there.
Many of the former slaves at Oak Hill left after gaining freedom, according to Henry Wiencek’s 1999 book “The Hairstons.” Those who stayed on as tenant farmers suffered economic exploitation and sometimes violence during the era of Jim Crow.
One of these tenant farmers was Fleming Adams Sr., Jeff Bennett’s ancestor. Nicknamed “Flem,” he spent his life working under oppressive conditions before dying in 1916. His final resting place is thought to be Oak Hill, and Bennett hopes to identify his grave, potentially through DNA testing, since Adams was notably tall at seven feet, which may help in the identification process.
The graves in the discreet sharecropper cemeteries were mostly unmarked, with only moss-covered stones indicating where wooden coffins had collapsed. Now, the Pittsylvania-Danville Regional Industrial Facility Authority owns the land, which will host a major battery production facility. Virginia’s Department of Historical Resources has approved a permit to move the graves, a move supported by the descendants involved.
During a visit to the site, descendants and officials discussed placing a historical marker at the old cemetery. Economic development director Matt Rowe expressed openness to ensuring the descendants’ wishes were respected.
The industrial authority has funded the project through logging, and engineering firm WSP is overseeing the transfer. According to John Bedell, WSP’s archaeologist, every item from each grave, even if it’s just soil, will be meticulously collected and moved.
With plans to conclude the transfer by early March, the project will continue with the construction and dedication of a new cemetery. Recently, descendants examined personal items found in the graves such as eyeglasses and a rare 1836 coin, revealing insights into the lives of those buried there.
Bennett and others are working to identify individuals in the graves by reviewing funeral home records. Given the difficulty, they might include all residents of the area in the memorial. Bennett hopes the project will revive interest in the stories of their ancestors and preserve their legacy for future generations.
