Volunteers Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. by Cleaning Historic Black Cemetery

Generations of the Champion family are buried in Champion Macedonia Cemetery in Lewisville. Also known as Mount Olive Cemetery, this is a historic black cemetery.

Cassie Wheatley is the great granddaughter of James Alonzo Champion. She said her relatives bought the land in the late 1800s as a family cemetery on one side and a public cemetery on the other.

“We are so proud that everything was cleaned up because the people who cleaned the cemetery are gone, so we don’t have many people to come and help,” said Cassie Whitley, a volunteer.

Event organizer Jackie Shaw received a call asking about the cemetery last holiday season.

“I have been here for 27 years. What African-American cemetery are you talking about,” said Shaw, West Side Baptist Church’s leading social justice minister.

Shaw said it took her two hours to find it because the place itself was too overgrown.

From there, Shaw decided it would be a good way to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The holiday is also declared a national day of service due to Dr. King’s commitment to service.

“We usually get out of our neighborhood to go and serve, so my vision was that a better way to serve than to go serve and clean up our African-American cemetery here in Lewisville,” Shaw said.

For many families, it was a good way to pay back by learning about the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

“Our church released it and we just thought it would be a great chance to come and help and bring our family and give them a great opportunity to come serve and be part of the community,” volunteer Devery Johnson said.

Cassie Wheatley expressed her gratitude to everyone who came to the rescue.

“I really appreciate all this greatness, that everyone is showing us love,” Wheatley said. “That’s what it’s all about on Martin Luther King Day.”

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