Pinehurst Cemetery in St. Augustine is believed to be one of the earliest segregated gravesites in Florida.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Hundreds of volunteers spent their Monday cleaning up one of Florida’s oldest African American cemeteries. From landscaping to cleaning tombstones, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, people showed up for a day of community service. The civil rights icon was known to be adamant about serving others. In this case, even the ones who were laid to rest.
The Pinehurst Cemetery in St. Augustine “is believed to be one of the earliest segregated gravesites” in the Sunshine State, dating back to the 1840s. It is where African American families are laid to rest, including veterans who fought in the Civil War, World War I and II and the Korean War.
A diverse group of people by age, race and organizations showed up.
For volunteers such as Wynn Legault, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, cleaning the cemetery means someone cares about the people who were laid to rest. It is her third year tending to Pinehurst.
“It does your heart good helping others,” Legault told First Coast News. “No matter what your age [is], making things better makes you feel better.”
Legault and many other volunteers suggest it takes years to transform the cemetery, as keeping Pinehurst tidy, is an “ongoing task.” Volunteers are encouraged to show up on any given day to check on the cemetery.
