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African American Cemetery In Rye Hosting Solidarity Saturday

RYE, N.Y. -- Friends of the African American Cemetery, a new nonprofit organization formed to oversee the African American Cemetery adjacent to Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye, is calling on the community to come together in solidarity to express outrage and sadness for the act of vandalism perpetrated on this historic site just before a Memorial Day ceremony. 

A headstone in the cemetery

A headstone in the cemetery

Photo Credit: Contributed

The event will take place on Saturday June 18, at 10 a.m. Greenwood Union Cemetery is located at 215 North St. in Rye. The vandals went to the African American Cemetery where they stripped the cloth portion of the American flags from the sticks supporting the flags. Over the stone wall, in the adjacent Greenwood Union Cemetery, the veterans’ flags were left untouched. 

Thanks to American Legion Post 93, the missing flags were quickly replaced before the ceremony, but the empty sticks were left in place lest people forget the despicable act perpetrated at this hallowed place. 

“This kind of act clearly aims to denigrate our community and the veterans buried in our landmark cemetery. It seems clear that someone was trying to send a heinous message to our community,” said David Thomas, executive director of the Friends of the African American Cemetery. 

For more information send an email to afamcemetery@gmail.com or call David Thomas at (914) 886-5710.

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