Description: Greenwood Cemetery was the first non-denominational commercial cemetery for African-Americans in the St. Louis area. Established in 1874 by Herman Krueger, Greenwood has approximately 6,000 marked graves but is thought to contain up to 50,000 burials.
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After historic flooding in St. Louis and vandalism, Greenwood Cemetery recently experienced extensive damage to grounds, headstones, structures, and roadways. Help make a difference with our continuing efforts by donating today. We appreciate the continuous support from all of our Greenwood friends and family.
A number of different records and research projects are currently underway. The Greenwood Cemetery Restoration Association plans on uploading and providing digital burial records, headstone information, obituaries, and more. For more information about cemetery records and historical research, please fill out our Contact Us form, or contact Greenwood Cemetery Historian and Archivist, Etta Daniels at [email protected] .
There is no doubt of Greenwood’s historic, cultural, and social importance to St. Louis, and particularly St. Louis African Americans. Verification of that came in Feb. of 2004 when, due to the efforts of the Friends of Greenwood, the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Knowledgeable informants speak of the black musicians, civil rights leaders and other key individuals associated with the development of black St. Louis buried there. Although the condition of the cemetery and m