Partnership project brings new hope to old cemetery

By: Mike Gavin
Published: September 11, 2024

RUTHERFORDTON (Sept. 10, 2024) – The restoration of a historic African American cemetery is well on its way to completion and the project’s partners are unearthing inspiring stories of the community.

The New Hope Community Cemetery Restoration and Remembrance Project is an initiative focused on restoring and preserving the historic New Hope Community Cemetery owned by the Historic St. John A.M.E. Zion Church in Rutherfordton. The project’s aim is to honor the memories of those buried, reconnect families with their ancestors, and ensure the cemetery's legacy endures for future generations.

The partners include church members, Isothermal Community College, the Land of Sky Regional Council, local volunteers, and Youth Works volunteers from all over the United States.

“This sacred site, home to nearly 200 graves dating back to the early 1800s, including veterans from various wars, fell into disrepair over the years,” said Dr. Greg Thomas, Isothermal’s vice president of Student and Academic Affairs.

Thomas and a core team of Isothermal faculty and staff, led by Associate Vice President Sandra Lackner, started meeting with Reverend Sherman Dunmore and church members earlier this year. The Land of Sky Regional Commission had some funds available to help with expenses and the work began.

Throughout the summer, teams of volunteers began clearing the overgrown trees and the thick undergrowth.

As the gravestones and monuments saw sunshine for the first time in decades, church members started researching some of the forgotten names. They discovered veterans from the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, and many other conflicts. They remembered long lost forebears whose stories have been revived.

“I’ve always heard, if you don’t realize where you’ve been, then you’ll have no idea where you’re headed,” said Ken Hines, a church member who is also coordinator of the college’s Minority Male Mentor and intramural sports programs.

Hines recalled his ancestors who are buried in the cemetery last weekend when organizers and volunteers gathered to unveil a new sign, designed and built by the college’s Construction Trades and Print Shop staff. The group also placed flags on the graves of know veterans in the cemetery.

Before the sign unveiling, Lacker talked about the people at the heart of the project.

“Today, we honor them not only with a marker, flag, and stories of times gone by, but with our presence, our recognition, and our commitment to ensuring their contributions are not forgotten,” Lackner said. “This commitment is more than guessing the best way to take down trees or clearing overgrown wisteria; it’s about bridging the past with the future, remembering those who endured challenges many of us can only imagine, and honoring the resilience that has allowed future generations to thrive.”

On Tuesday, the group reconvened at the Isothermal Performing Arts and Conference Center for dinner and to preview a documentary Thomas is making about the project that will be released soon.

Dunmore, Thomas, and Lackner reflected on the first phase of the project and its value in building community through shared experience. Thanks and credit were given to Bryant Thomas, an Isothermal student who captured so much of the summer’s work with photos and video.

Others who spoke included, Dr. Margaret Annunziata, Isothermal’s president; Nathan Ramsey, executive director of Land of Sky Regional Commission; Brannon Ferguson, a Isothermal instructor who served on the college core team; Doris Crute, a retired ICC employee who is a church member and Rutherfordton councilwoman; Phyllis Utley and Vicki Jennings, both from Land of Sky.

Crute talked about the history of the community that is nearly as old as the 237-year-old town.

“In 1869, right after the Civil War, the community was named New Hope because of the hope and optimism the residents had for the future,” she said. “Of course, there have been struggles and challenges along the way but a project like this renews our hope that we can keep progressing and making this a better place for all.”

Annunziata spoke about the strength of communities and organizations coming together with a common purpose.

“We all have purpose,” she said. “But our purpose isn’t fully realized individually. Our purpose really can only be realized in a community.”

The group plans to continue cleaning the cemetery on weekends for the next several years and looks forward to the growing relationships that come with that work.

To find out how to get involved, contact Lackner at slackner@isothermal.edu or 828-395-1429.

Much more information will be available in the upcoming documentary and on the project website at https://newhopeforthefuture.org.