By Laurel Cemetery Memorial Project
Community members, descendants, elected officials, scholars and clergy gathered on Sept. 13 at 2401 Belair Road to restore the memory of a nearly erased past. Laurel Cemetery—once the final resting place of tens of thousands of Black Baltimoreans—was honored with the unveiling of a new commemorative sign, now visible from Belair Road and the shopping center that occupies the site.
For more than a decade, the Laurel Cemetery Memorial Project has worked to document, research and piece together the stories of those buried there. The new sign stands as both a marker of truth and a reminder that history cannot be paved over.
Dr. Elgin Klugh, chair of the Memorial Project and professor at Coppin State University, welcomed those gathered, underscoring the solemn importance of remembering what development and neglect tried to erase.
“We are here so that Laurel is not forgotten—so that the names of those buried here are not lost forever,” he said.
Over the past 10 years, Dr. Ronald Costanzo of the University of Baltimore and other researchers have uncovered evidence that human remains still lie beneath the site. When they first visited the Belair Road property, a lone tombstone marked a small corner. Using ground-penetrating radar and archaeological excavation, Costanzo and his team confirmed the continued presence of burials. He emphasized that the current landowners, Coastal Equities and Belair Edison Investors, LLC, have fully cooperated with the research and commemorative efforts.
Philadelphia resident Sharon Haynie and her mother, Inez Penn Haynie Dodson, a lifelong Baltimorean, attended as descendants of those interred at Laurel. Dodson did not know where her grandmother was buried until they found a Laurel Cemetery deed. She was dismayed to find the cemetery site was the same location as the Two Guys Department Store where she had once shopped for her family.
“Every stone, every name matters,” Sharon Haynie said. “This is about remembering who we are and who came before us.”
Gloria Porter of the Baltimore Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, also a board member of the Memorial Project, reported that more than 27,000 burials have been confirmed, with many more yet to be identified.
Sen. Cory McCray (D – 45) delivered an inspiring message and a call to action while pledging his total commitment to the project’s success. He emphasized the importance of this memorialization project and how it is critical to acknowledge the shoulders on which we stand.
Matthew Bradford, chief of staff to the Baltimore City Law Department, delivered a candid account of Laurel Cemetery’s dismantling, painting a picture of decades of neglect and mismanagement. When the cemetery company declared bankruptcy in 1952, legal and legislative maneuvers set the stage for its sale. In 1957, Maryland lawmakers passed legislation that provided the legal justification for the sole shareholder of the defunct Laurel Cemetery Co. to sell the land to the McKamer Realty Co. for just $100 the following year. McKamer was founded by two employees of the Baltimore Law Department, raising questions about conflicts of interest, though an internal mayoral review found no evidence of wrongdoing.
The sale ultimately resulted in substantial profits for the owners after rezoning, while the cemetery itself was leveled.
Bradford described the chain of events as “abuses of power” and “betrayals of public trust,” emphasizing the lasting harm inflicted on the African American community.
“We cannot undo the past,” he said, “but we can and must face it with honesty. Today’s dedication affirms our commitment to truth and remembrance.”
Bradford also presented a citation on behalf of the Mayor’s Office, symbolizing the city’s acknowledgment of historical wrongs and its pledge to support efforts that preserve Laurel Cemetery’s legacy.
Chezia Cager, advisor to the Laurel Cemetery Memorial Project, encouraged attendees to explore the project’s website, which hosts a partial database of names that the group has identified through Baltimore City death certificates. She emphasized the importance of connecting descendants to their ancestors, noting that many Baltimore residents likely have relatives still resting beneath the pavement.
“This is more than research — it’s about bringing awareness, restoring dignity and helping families reclaim their history,” Cager said. She also announced plans to enhance the site’s search tools, making it easier for descendants across Baltimore and beyond to locate ancestors and engage with this vital part of the city’s African American heritage.
The ceremony drew a significant presence of elected officials, including Sen. Cory M. McCray (D – 45), Del. Jackie Addison (D – 45), Del. Caylin Young (D – 45), former Del. Clarence “Tiger” Davis, and representatives from Councilman Anthony Glover’s office and the comptroller’s office. Gov. Wes Moore sent a citation to honor the event.
The ceremony was also a moment of spiritual reflection. Pastor Rashad A. Singletary of Mount Olive Baptist Church offered prayer, and The Sankofa Project performed drumming and an ancestral blessing—rituals that called back those whose names are still being recovered.
In the program’s closing remarks, Beverly Carter, founding board member of the project, invited guests to join them in furthering their mission to identify the names of the interred and to amplify their memories and to help connect them with their families.
As the commemorative sign was revealed, attendees gathered for personal prayers and libations. Representatives from community associations from across Baltimore, including Anthony Weldon Jr., president of the Kenilworth Park Neighborhood Association; Nichole’ C. Gatewood, president of the Hillsdale Heights Neighborhood Association; Jay Gibson, 4×4 Community Association; Rita Crews, president of the Belair-Edison Community Association; and members of the Reservoir Hill and Waverly Improvement Associations, attended, affirming that this history belongs to the entire city.
Where once the cemetery was hidden beneath asphalt, Laurel now has a visible presence again. The commemorative sign stands as a testament to lives lived, history nearly erased and a community’s determination to honor its ancestors.
For more information, or to support the Laurel Cemetery Memorial Project, follow on Facebook and visit the website, laurelcemetery.omeka.net/.