Is there a known date for the last burial in this cemetery?
The most recent burial in Sunset was 1999. For Pinehurst 1978 and Memorial 2001.
How long did it sit defunct as the owning entities were out of business?
The Memorial Cemetery Association probably went defunct back in the early 1990s.
What condition was the property in when it became COJ property?
Poor. Maintenance of all of the cemeteries established by the Afro-American Life Insurance Company during segregation declined as the company struggled with bankruptcy in the 1980s.
When did the cemetery become COJ property?
The city has owned the back half of Sunset since 2010. However, in the early 1990s, local residents got the city to pick up maintenance responsibility for the front part of Sunset and the other two cemeteries in the early 1990s.
I only ask this because the statement "However, a visit to its Moncrief Road Cemetery district suggests it is a community that does not respect or value its African-American heritage or history." seems a little harsh and unfair.
No worries. With that said, as a whole, we are a community that doesn't respect or value its African-American heritage or history. Abandoned cemeteries aside, that's a clear as day and has always been. It's had so much little attention paid to it, we don't even know half of the nationally significant events that took place in our city because they were on the "other side of the tracks". Not respecting or knowing that history is how neighborhoods like LaVilla, Sugar Hill, Brooklyn and Campbell Hill disappear and historically significant buildings across the Northside continue to razed in the 21st century without much debate, recognition or discussion.
If the previous owners went bankrupt and closed up shop, I have a sneaking suspicion that the property was greatly neglected and in a state of immense disrepair prior to it becoming COJ property. And if it was, that falls entirely on the multiple previous owners. I find the insinuation that since it was a predominantly African-American cemetery, COJ has purposely allowed the property to fall into its current condition because of racial prejudices a tough one to swallow.
I think the discussion of the reason of their existence in the first place is soaked in local Jim Crow era policies of the early 20th century. However, it's one best left for another day and one that doesn't help get these places back in decent shape. While it may make some feel uncomfortable to see a bit of the ugly side of our local history, I do believe exposure leads to discussion and dialogue. Continued discussion and dialogue creates an opportunity for solutions and implementation of those solutions.
Should COJ taxpayers be expected to pay for the renovation and upkeep of all failed private business properties within the city? Where should the line be drawn? This site has many threads discussing the financial shortcomings of the City of Jacksonville. I am not sure where you think COJ should find the funding for this individual property. Is there something in the current budget that should be cut in order to pay for this? Is there an additional tax that should be assessed on Jacksonville residents to cover the renovation and upkeep costs of properties deferred to the COJ by the bankrupt courts of the state/county?
I personally think an individual or individuals how have a personal interest in this property should set up a non-profit organization to raise funding for the renovation and upkeep of this property. Maybe the Jacksonville Historical Society should head this up and sponsor different groups to fundraise for specific properties underneath their umbrella; even help them with the National Historic for Historic Preservation registration, so they can apply for grant money to help restore and protect these properties. We can’t possibly expect COJ to lead the way on historic preservation, we have seen how COJ has handled that over the past few decades… with a wrecking ball…
Honestly, I don't know the solution. This particular area is definitely not my professional expertise. Nevertheless, I can do my small for Jax history as a whole, by continuing to expose the good, bad and ugly.
