$250,000 in Grants Awarded to Protect and Preserve Historic Black Cemeteries

Monday, February 2, 2026

Residents Invited to Free Events Highlighting Black History and Culture All Month Long

Woodland Cemetery in Benning Ridge

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Office of Planning (OP) announced a partnership with two nonprofit organizations to protect and commemorate historic African American burial grounds in the District. The Bowser Administration awarded a total of $250,000 through the newly established Paul E. Sluby, Sr. Historic Burial Grounds Preservation Program for preserving sacred spaces that are critical to African American culture and history in the District. This announcement comes as the Mayor announced a series of events celebrating Black History Month in Washington, DC.

“DC history is Black history. And we know that it is the responsibility of each generation to preserve that history and to pass it on, and that is why we are proud to award these grants that will help protect and preserve historic Black cemeteries in our city,” said Mayor Bowser. “We are a city that represents Black excellence in everything we do – from the arts to medicine to technology; and that is something we celebrate year-round because it is such an important part of our city’s history and culture, but we are especially proud to uplift those people and stories throughout Black History Month.”

Both recipient organizations are dedicated to preserving historic burial grounds in the District that served African American residents. The Black Georgetown Foundation manages the preservation and commemoration of the Mt. Zion and Female Union Band Society Cemeteries in Georgetown, which date to 1808. The Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association is devoted to restoring Woodlawn Cemetery in Benning Ridge, which was established in the late 19th century. Along with the Union Burial Society of Georgetown Cemetery, these sites are the only intact, historically African American burial grounds remaining in the District today.

“We feel a sense of urgency to ensure these historic Black cemeteries are restored and cared for,” said Anita Cozart, Director of the Office of Planning. “Under Mayor Bowser’s leadership, we are committed to preserving the District’s cultural heritage for future generations of DC residents.”

The two grants are the first issued under the Historic Burial Grounds Preservation Program, which was established by the DC Council through the Historic African American Burial Grounds Preservation Fund Amendment Act of 2025. The program is named in honor of Paul E. Sluby, Sr.—a renowned certified genealogist, legal researcher, and historian who researched and wrote extensively about historic burial grounds in Washington, DC and Maryland, with a focus on African American burial sites.

“The Mt. Zion and Female Union Band Society Cemeteries are sacred African American burial grounds that hold generations of Washingtonians who helped shape this city,” said Lisa Fager, Executive Director of Black Georgetown Foundation. “The grant program is an important step toward ensuring these sites are approached with the care, expertise, and respect they require. This funding allows us to document, protect, and interpret these cemeteries in ways that honor both the ancestors and the living communities connected to them.”

“Woodlawn Cemetery is not only DC history; it is an integral part of the 250 years of American history!” said Anntoinette “Toni” White-Richardson, President of Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association. “The saying ‘ties that bind’ is at the heart of my dedication to preserving Woodlawn, for my grandfather is buried in this place of historic significance.”

Woodlawn Cemetery will focus on landscaping to improve accessibility and better protect gravesites, hazardous tree removal, replacing portions of fencing to increase site security, and adding signage. Black Georgetown Foundation will conduct comprehensive tree and boundary surveys, improve on-site infrastructure, update their online Cemetery Information System, and organize community events for Juneteenth and Emancipation Day.

The grant program builds on the Bowser Administration’s work to preserve and document African American historic and cultural sites, including the Slowe-Burrill House in Brookland and Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse in Dupont Circle. The Office of Planning has produced studies on the Black Power Movement and segregation in the District, and created walking tours that connect historic sites at different periods of DC’s African American history.

Last year, the Bowser Administration published Black History Sites, an interactive map of more than 300 places associated with DC’s African American history and culture, which includes the Woodlawn, Mt. Zion, and Female Union Band Society Cemeteries. The website allows visitors to explore the people and stories behind important historical sites and enables self-guided tours. Visit the DC Office of Planning website to learn more about the Bowser Administration’s work to preserve African American history and culture.