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Cemetery protection laws proposed in Virginia
A Virginia lawmaker has drafted legislation that would protect historic cemeteries from being destroyed.
RICHMOND, Va. - The state of Virginia could soon have new laws to protect historic cemeteries.
Two bills introduced by Delegate Danica Roem recently passed through the House of Delegates.
HB 615 would make sure localities are contacting families who have ancestors buried in cemeteries before selling it; HB 961 allows localities to develop a registry map to mark where cemeteries are, and it requires when publicly owned cemeteries are up for sale that localities put in their notice a cemetery is on the property.
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"That at least gives them a chance to buy it and by having the requirement about cemeteries being printed in public notices that’s going to ensure that whoever the property owner is, that person will know that hey you can’t build in some of these areas if there’s a known cemetery." Roem said.
This was the case for Frank Washington, who has been fighting for years to save three cemeteries in the Thoroughfare community where his family has been burying their loved ones for centuries.
Washington says his great-great-grandfather originally owned the land, which is why he was shocked to learn the property where one of the cemeteries is, was sold.
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Washington said that cemetery was bulldozed last year and was the final resting place for about 75 former slaves and Native Americans.
"Most of the laws that are currently on the books were not originally put in place with slave and freed slave cemeteries in mind because we weren’t afforded the documentation we needed at the time." Washington said.
He said he feels this was a loophole developers have taken advantage of, but hopes the new legislation from Del. Roem will open the door for more communities to have their cemeteries protected so those buried get the honor and respect they deserve.
"As I have said many times before, they’re getting more now than they ever had in their lifetime," Washington said. "For most of these ones we’re fighting for their only way into freedom was through death and these cemeteries their final resting places was where they had that peace finally and it deserves to be honored."
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Washington said he hopes they'll be able to someday restore the cemetery desecrated last year.
Last year Prince William County purchased land to preserve two other nearby cemeteries.