RESEARCH ARTICLE
Challenging collaborative archaeology: Remote sensing of African American burials in a majority-White, rural town
Edward González-Tennant,
Diana González-Tennant,
Corresponding Author
Edward González-Tennant
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA
Correspondence
Edward González-Tennant, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorDiana González-Tennant
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. (Stantec), San Antonio, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorEdward González-Tennant,
Diana González-Tennant,
Corresponding Author
Edward González-Tennant
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA
Correspondence
Edward González-Tennant, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorDiana González-Tennant
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. (Stantec), San Antonio, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: This project was funded by the State of Florida Division of Historical Resources Small Matching Grant 22.h.sm.200.047.
Abstract
Interest in documenting and preserving African American burial grounds is rapidly expanding across the United States of America. This work has wide support and numerous groups advocate for the creation of such projects. In majority-White, rural communities, these projects can elicit strong reactions — positive and negative. This article discusses the challenges arising in such locations by reviewing a recent cemetery mapping and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey of the Cedar Key Cemetery located on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Numerous challenges, including concentrated attempts to halt the work, emerge over the duration of the project. In Cedar Key, years of transparent engagement between community members and archaeologists results in the emergence of a diverse stakeholder community supporting the project and guaranteeing its completion. Today, this group is mobilizing to document and commemorate similar places in nearby communities.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest regarding this research.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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