Dia De Los Muertos @ Historic Linwood Cemetery

We all had a blast at our 2021 Day of the Dead celebrations at Historic Linwood Cemetery . The students, aged 5 to 14 walked with their teachers, community friends and other Grown Ups through our neighborhood to the cemetery.

Students arriving at Linwood Cemetery.

Along the way, friends like Mrs. Syliva McGee told them stories about growing up in Pleasant Hill, Brother George Muhammad told them of the important people in the graveyard, Y-O Latimore told them of the efforts to protect this history, Fr. Patrick Tuttle, OFM told them of the significance of the Day of the Dead as a celebration of LIFE, Mrs. Gloria Cisse sounded the African drums in a remembrance song, and Ms. Anabel Huerta Gonzalez and her cousin danced a traditional Mexican dance. Each of these storytellers are important to us and we so appreciated their sharing with the kids.

K-2 Grade worked at Mattie Hubbard Jones’ gravesite. They did some gravestone rubbings after they had finished cleaning and decorating her grave. They also played nearby with lots of toys and games as a celebration of Mrs. Jones’ long years as the founder of the playground named after her.

The children cleaned and decorated graves in the cemetery. Each grave attended was of special significance. We celebrated USMC Sgt., Rodney Davis who is Macon’s only Medal of Honor winner and who attended SPCCS for a time. We also celebrated Lewis H. Williams, Principal of the Negro School for the Blind in Pleasant Hill and for whom our local public elementary school is named. We also learned about Mattie Hubbard Jones. She ran the local playground next to our school that was donated by our parish to the County as the first public playground for African-Americans. We also celebrated Ruth Hartley Mosely, as a successful business woman, public health nurse and educator.

The gravesite of L. H. Williams (and that of his wife) decorated with books, apples and chalkboard. He was celebrated as an educator. The students worked on braille puzzles and other fun stuff at his gravesite.

Hey, you can make messages with gravestone rubbings!!!

The students worked hard to tidy the graves, they gathered in song and prayer and had some hot chocolate and cookies. Everything is always better with chocolate and cookies!!

Fr. Patrick Tuttle, OFM and some students enjoying the tunes (he’s a DJ too) and hot chocolate and cookies!!

Our altar! How cool and lovely is that? The students also worked with Ms. Trotter, our music teacher and had a SOUND ALTAR. This was a playlist of music that was of significance to people in our students lives who had passed away.

The event was special and loving and after an hour and a half playing and learning in a beautiful sacred space outdoors, the children walked back to school for dismissal.

A traditional Mexican dance put on for the students. They were wowed by the beauty and elegance of the dance.

Putting some final touches on the grave decorations.

Thank you to EVERYONE who helped make this a fun learning experience for our kids and for our wider community. Thank you especially to the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and the Knight Foundation who funded this program with an On The Table Macon action grant.