As the city of Houston continues to evolve, a slice of its past is being carefully uncovered and honored. In a collaborative effort, dedicated locals and church volunteers have joined forces to breathe new life into the long-neglected Evergreen Negro Cemetery. Located in the Fifth Ward, this sacred site is the final resting place for many of Houston's pioneering African American doctors, lawyers, and Buffalo Soldiers, according to a recent article by the Houston Chronicle.

Project RESPECT, a non-profit committed to resurrecting Houston's forgotten Black cemeteries, has made notable strides in the cemetery's restoration. Their recent installation of thousands of feet of fencing and the brick entryways at the corners of the cemetery have transformed the once unrecognizable burial ground into a dignified landmark. Lisa Jenkins, the executive director of Project RESPECT, couldn't hide her emotions as she saw the progress unfold, telling the Houston Chronicle, "When I saw the progress as it was getting done, tears came out of my eyes to see that we could accomplish such great work in such a short amount of time."

Complementing these local efforts, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have also participated in this community restoration. They're not there just for landscaping, but also to assist in identifying the countless unmarked graves, aiming to piece together the lost history of those resting there. Donald Williams, a cemetery caretaker, disclosed to the Church Newsroom that a map is being created to show the locations of all currently identified headstones. Despite an estimated 5,000 individuals buried at Evergreen, only a few hundred graves have been identified thus far.

The collaboration has not only been about restoration, but also about education and respect. Project leaders, including Woodrow Jones co-founder of the non-profit are working with local universities and the City of Houston, to ensure the remembered dignity of those interred, as evidenced by the gates now proudly bearing the name "Evergreen Negro Cemetery". Juliana Dearman, representing the estate of historian Lynna Kay Shuffield, told the Houston Chronicle, "These are people that students and young folks need to learn about, and there's no record of them until they come in here and they find them and learn how to research them, and it's a beautiful thing to do."

While the restoration has seen considerable achievements, major challenges remain, including the reinterment of remains discovered under Lockwood Drive. Researchers from the University of Houston are employing ground-penetrating radar to find a suitable spot within the cemetery for these reinterments, as part of plans to complete the restoration by 2025. Meanwhile, the Latter-day Saints community, as part of a broader "Black Heritage Initiative", is mobilizing resources to help stake leaders adopt additional Black cemeteries in the area, aiming to serve the community and honor African American history, the Church Newsroom reported. Elder Sean Douglas stressed the service aspect of the initiative, "We're just getting started, and there's much to happen." With the efforts of both residents and Latter-day Saint volunteers, Evergreen and other historic Black cemeteries in Texas are slowly being restored as places of honor and history, transforming not only the landscape but also enriching the tapestry of the community's collective memory.