Bethel Burying Ground/Queen Village Weccacoe Park Excavations

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Queen Village Weccacoe Park and the Bethel Burying Ground Project

The public was invited to visit the archaeological testing of the Bethel AME burial ground — now Weccacoe Playground in the Queen Village neighborhood — on Wednesday, July 24th, 2014, when this photo was taken (by PAF member Patrice L. Jeppson). Among the many community groups represented at the visit were members of ATAC (Avenging the Ancestors Coalition) and the Friends of Weccacoe Park. Local neighbors came as did students on a study visit from Khepera Charter School.

This project involved several local community friends groups, Mother Bethel Church, the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department, the Philadelphia Park Conservancy, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and the Philadelphia Water Department. Archaeologists from URS Corporation conducted exploratory excavations designed to determine the depth and location of any burials without distributing or removing any burial remains.
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Archaeological Report: Phase IB Archaeological Investigations of the Mother Bethel Burying Ground, 1810 – Circa 1864 (80 pages, large pdf file)
ER No. 2013-1516-101-A, Prepared for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society by Douglas Mooney and Kimberly Morrell of URS Corporation, October 11, 2013.

Archaeological Report Appendixes (84 pages, large pdf file)

Video of archaeologists reporting excavation findings to the public during an on-site visit on June 24th, 2014 (YouTube, 6.21 minutes)
Bethel Burying Ground Name Directory
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

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News Coverage
*Some of these reporting sources are behind a pay wall.
Remains of 8,000 Blacks desecrated at Philly cemetery, by Michael Coard, Philadelphia Tribune, July 2016.
City Hears Concerns about Playground, Cemetery
Phila. Inquirer, May 6, 2014
Philly to Host Meeting about Historic Cemetery
Phila. Inquirer, May 3, 2014
City Says It’s Involved in Historic Black Burial Ground site
Philadelphia Inquirer, 03/20/14
City urged not to disturb Mother Bethel_burial ground
Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/9/13
Historic African American Cemetery in Queen Village larger than thought
Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/10/13
Speedy Peaks into Early Days of Science
Philadelphia Inquirer, 09/17/13
Thousands of African-American Graves Found Beneath Philadelphia Playground, by Cherese Jackson, Liberty Voice, July 31, 2013
19th-Century African American Cemetery Found in Philadelphia
ARCHAEOLOGY Magazine (AIA), July 26, 2013
Archaeologists Dig Up History as Playground Renovations get Underway
PHILLY IN FOCUS Blog, Philadelphia Protest, Marches & More!, July 24, 2013
Historical American Site Erased from History
Techbook Online, July 24, 2013
Reviving the Memory of thousands forgotten in burial ground beneath Philly playground
Newsworks.com, July 27, 2013
Thousands Buried beneath Philly Playground
NBC.COM, July 27, 2013
Old Mother Bethel grave site could hold thousands
Philly.com, July 24, 2013


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