ABOUT
HISTORIC UNITY CEMETERY
Historic Unity Cemetery is in the eastern section of the City of Rocky Mount in Edgecombe County. Its 18 acres are bounded by Scott Street to the north, East Holly Street to the south, and Cowlick Creek to the East. It lies south of the Tar River, and within one half mile of Northeastern Cemetery.
Unity Cemetery was founded in 1901 as a public cemetery for the burial of Rocky Mount’s African American citizens previously denied burials within the city’s corporate limits due to segregation. On March 13, 1901, an “Act to Incorporate the Unity Cemetery Association of the Town of Rocky Mount, N.C.” was ratified as Chapter 380 of the Private Laws of North Carolina, Session 1901. The cemetery’s original Trustees included Jerry J. Cooke, Frederick Simpson, John D. Boddie, Richmond Lawrence, Jason W. Joyner, James Sessoms, Jr., R. E. (Robert Edwards) Young, Isaac Wells, Thomas H. Boddie, and Bradford Battle. Among the powers granted to the Trustees was the authority to purchase land in the name of the Association and to lay-off and sell burial lots.
The trustees of the cemetery association acquired six acres of land in 1902. A two-acre parcel was purchased for cemetery land in 1915. The cemetery property expanded over time, with additional parcels held under various private ownership, but the community continued to refer to the cemetery complex as “Unity.”
The estimated 18,000 plots include the resting places of a cross section of Rocky Mount’s African-American (hyphen added) community, including civic leaders such as Dred Wimberly, member of the North Carolina General Assembly, educator Anna Easter Brown, Bynum King, the first African-American (hyphen added) firefighter in Edgecombe County, and veterans of the Spanish American War, World War I and II, Korea, Vietnam, and other conflicts.
Unity Cemetery eventually closed to active burials and became overgrown. Over the years, descendants and families maintained a commitment to their ancestors and collective heritage by leading multiple community cleanups for the cemetery’s preservation. In 2021, dedicated public servants, and the City of Rocky Mount began working with the descendant community and volunteers to preserve Unity Cemetery. The cemetery is an asset to the history of Edgecombe County, and a valuable addition to a more authentic narrative of Eastern North Carolina history.
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Unity Cemetery Staff
Lois Watkins, Project Manager:
Lois.Watkins@rockymountnc.gov
Nadia Orton, Historian/Genealogist:
Nadia.Orton@rockymountnc.gov
Hap Turner, Heritage Researcher:
Hap.Turner@rockymountnc.gov
Unity Cemetery Team Past and Present
Interim City Manager Peter Varney, former City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney, Assistant to the City Manager for Budget and Evaluation Kenneth Hunter, Parks & Recreation Director Joel Dunn, Chief Technology Officer Gregory Cotten, Human Relations Director Archie Jones, Communications, Marketing and Public Relations Director Kirk Brown, former Interim Communications, Marketing and Public Relations Director Jessie Nunery, Communications Specialist Robin Cox, Video Production Specialist Mark Adcox, Information Technology Project Manager Melissa Alston & Web Designer Bruce Smith, Jr.
Subject Experts
Angela Bryant, former member of North Carolina General Assembly and Rocky Mount City Council
Michelle Lanier, director, N.C. Division of State Historic Sites
Chauncey Stokes III, minister, physician and heir to Stokes family estate
Angela Thorpe, director, N.C. African American Heritage Commission
Melissa Timo, historic cemetery specialist with North Carolina Office of State Archeology
Nadia Orton, Historian/Genealogist
Hap Turner, Heritage Researcher
Join Our Team
The Unity Cemetery Restoration & Preservation Project is seeking to hire an administrative records clerk:
Qualifications: Successful candidate requires a minimum of three to five years administrative record management experience. Strong background in database management, file management, change management including physical and digital record-keeping. Good organizational skills for scheduling and coordinating events. Knowledge of office equipment and Microsoft Office programs. Strong communication skills in person, via phone and email. Ability to multitask and work without supervision. Ability to maintain a records management system.
Duties: Maintain up-to-date logs, including information about file changes or who has access to files. Scan and upload files to create digital copies of physical records. Process and file copies of incoming and outgoing physical correspondence. Conduct routine verification to ensure integrity of the filing system. Ensure accurate records are kept and can be accessed when needed. Prepare files for archiving, and handle digitization of physical records. Create and manage file management systems and ensure all changes to all documents are properly recorded.
Contact: Lois Watkins or Nadia Orton
Unity Cemetery Restoration & Preservation Project
Imperial Centre of the Arts Education Building
344 Falls Road, Phone # 252-972-1388 or
Email: Lois Watkins: Lois.watkins@rockymountnc.gov
Nadia Orton: Nadia.orton@rockymountnc.gov