Ancestor Grave Decoration Day
May 27, 2019 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
FreeThe Sankofa African American Geechee Heritage Trail of East Liberty County hosts its 2019 Ancestor Grave Decoration/Memorial Day Program to honor fallen soldiers and civilians. There will be readings, traditional music, and a Libation Ceremony – a tradition in which Holy Water is poured onto the ground in each of the cardinal directions as prayers are recited to the ancestral spirits, and names of those who have passed are called out. The five-acre, Midway First Presbyterian Church Cemetery recently celebrated its 151st anniversary. This burial ground is one of the oldest African American cemeteries in coastal Georgia. It began during Reconstruction and has several decedents who were born enslaved and who served the United States in every war since the Civil War. Everyone is welcome to join in this solemn remembrance program. It is free and open to the public.