Terry Buckalew, who discovered the Bethel Burying Ground, tells of the journey leading to its memorial arts project
The independent historian who uncovered the once-forgotten Bethel Burying Ground in Queen Village spoke to The Inquirer from Texas about what he's learned about the 19th century cemetery.
Terry Buckalew, the historian whose research uncovered the once-forgotten Bethel Burying Ground in Queen Village, wasn’t able to attend a recent city celebration of the public art memorial project, Her Luxuriant Soil, that will be built next year.
Buckalew and his wife moved to Texas more than a year ago to be closer to family. (He still hates the Dallas Cowboys, by the way).
In 1810, Bishop Richard Allen and the trustees of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal [AME] Church purchased the land at Queen and Lawrence streets to use as a cemetery. A state historical marker on the Queen Street side of the park notes: “It was among the first independent cemeteries for the free Black community” in the country.
In a telephone interview, Buckalew talked about how , in 2012, he found out about the burial ground, which is beneath the southwest corner of the Weccacoe Playground at 400 Catharine Street. The burial ground is now on both the national and Philadelphia registers of historic places.
About two years after the discovery, he took early retirement from his job as a facilities manager at the University of Pennsylvania. He continues to update his Bethel Burying Ground Project website to record biographical sketches of the lives of people buried there.
Here is what Buckalew had to say about the years-long effort to acknowledge the burial ground:
How did you learn there was a historic cemetery beneath Weccacoe Playground?
I was doing research for an Octavius Catto film for Sam Katz’s [History Making Productions] company. While reading a columnist who was writing for the Philadelphia Tribune in the 19th century, I saw a mention about the Bethel Burying Ground. … I had never heard that name before. So I made a note to myself to find out more about it.
What did you learn about the burial ground?
When I started researching it, there was very, very little, almost nothing, written about it. I also found no city records existed to show that human remains were removed before or after the church sold the land to the city in 1889. The people buried there were important because they were part of a founding generation of a free Black community. In 2013, archaeologists conducted a survey and estimated the remains of at least 5,000 people were there.
How did it become a controversial discovery in Queen Village?
Not long after finding out about it, I read an article in The Inquirer on how the city got federal money, about $500,000, to renovate the playground. They were going to put in new light posts, new trees and fix up the community building. I said, ‘Oh no, they don’t know there’s a cemetery there!’
I went to City Hall and knocked on every Council man or woman’s door. I went to Mother Bethel, to community groups in Queen Village, and to Michael DiBerardinis, who was then the head of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. I went to Michael Coard of the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition. I told them all: I believe there are people buried underneath the asphalt there.
I also went to the Pennsylvania Historical Commission in Harrisburg, but they told me that the only way to prove people were buried there was to do an archaeological survey. It was after I searched 10 years of city Board of Health records and found no permits had been issued to relocate the human remains that the state told the city to delay the playground renovations.
What was the reaction to your discovery?
At first, the city didn’t want to take responsibility for the cemetery, although it was on city-owned land. There were some white people in Queen Village who were angry with me because this delayed the renovation of the playground. One white woman cursed me out at a meeting.
And [former city managing director] Joe Certaine told me there were going to be Black people mad at me because it had taken a white person to make the discovery. He said, ‘Stand up straight, don’t take no s—.’ Mother Bethel church did not oppose historic recognition for the graveyard, but the church did not submit a letter of support either.
[Mother Bethel Pastor] Rev. [Mark] Tyler and I butted heads a few times. But I found support from the Avenging the Ancestors group and Certaine and the Friends of Bethel Burying Ground.
» READ MORE: City celebrates new plans for Bethel Burying Ground art memorial at Weccacoe Playground
You’ve been described as an “independent historian,” and you were a facilities manager at Penn. What is your background in history?
I have a master’s degree in history from American Public University. It’s the university that the military uses for its personnel. The chairman of the history department used to be chair of history at West Point. I got the master’s degree because even though I had been doing research for years, I wanted people to take me seriously.
My first job at Penn was as a licensed physical therapy assistant. I later trained as a gardener at the Barnes Arboretum School of the [original] Barnes Foundation in Montgomery County and went to work as facilities manager of Penn’s Wharton Sinkler Conference Center . But that mansion no longer exists.
After I learned about the burial ground, I decided to take early retirement and get my master’s. I realized I couldn’t [continue to] work and do the ancestors justice.
It’s interesting that you use the word “ancestors” to describe the people buried at Bethel. How did you, as a white person, become interested in studying the history of Black Americans?
I grew up in Wildwood Crest, across the bridge from Cape May. In high school, I had an excellent history teacher. He used public speaking to help us develop critical-thinking skills. He told us not to believe everything you read in a text book — to do your own research. At Rider College, we had a speakers’ series. In my freshman year, I had a chance to sit and talk with [former SNCC leader] Stokley Carmichael [who changed his named to Kwame Ture] and [former United Nations Ambassador] Andrew Young.
“I told them all: I believe there are people buried underneath the asphalt there.”
Stokley did an hour talk on the history of Vietnam. He was so authoritative. He knew his history. He gave a lecture that made me want to become a historian. He gave the history of Vietnam from the French involvement to America’s involvement. ... He was great. After the speeches [on separate occasions] ended, some of us stayed behind and got to have longer conversations with them.
Later, as an adult, I was fascinated to learn about Harriet Tubman working in Cape May as a servant to earn money for her Underground Railroad missions. Cape May was also where Jarena Lee had lived. [Richard Allen authorized Lee to become the first Black woman minister in the AME church in 1819.]
How did you feel about the news there will finally be a memorial?
I’m a bit overwhelmed that the artist [Karyn Olivier] will be using some of my biographical sketches that I’ve written on my website for the memorial.
I’ve identified 2,500 individuals by name, out of the 5,000 there. I’ve identified them by name, age, and the causes of their deaths. I’m continuing to update the blog post. So far, I’ve written 499 profiles. But I’m having a trouble finding the 500th person.