The site is the final resting place of veterans from the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, a Buffalo Soldier, doctors, attorneys, and countless other community leaders, according to a board member.

HOUSTON – The Descendants of Olivewood have been tasked with preserving the cemetery and all it’s rich history, but are in need of the community’s help due to the erosion that has damaged the hollow grounds. They are in need of donations and volunteers to keep the 6-acre cemetery and historic resting place for many freed slaves and some of Houston’s earliest black residents going. In 1875, this land was used for slave burials and became an official cemetery in 1877 for black Methodists. It was the first African American burial ground within the city limits of Houston. If you would like to help the Descendants of Olivewood protect the significance of the cemetery, click here to find out how.