In celebration of Black History Month, we would like to highlight a previously featured volunteer, Natalie Bell, and her unique passion that combines her love of history with volunteerism.
“African American history is American history,” says Natalie Bell, a volunteer forging her own path to preserve and teach black American narratives.
Natalie has always had a passion for discovering and sharing stories. Her career, spanning more than 25 years, has included roles such as a contributing writer for NPR and an award-winning news reporter. Telling the stories of our present led to her passion for history and telling the stories of our not-so-distant past. She now volunteers with the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) of Nashville, Tennessee Historical Commission, the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), and African American cemeteries across the state.
Throughout history, African American cemeteries were often neglected, mismanaged, and even forgotten. Many graves were not formally marked, due to the expense of purchasing a gravestone. Instead, pieces of pottery might have been used to mark the graves of loved ones, leaving the site vulnerable to being lost. In fact, African American graves, and sometimes entire cemeteries – particularly family cemeteries in rural areas – were lost.
As a volunteer, Natalie is motivated to discover and preserve the stories of people held in these burial grounds. She does this primarily by researching and documenting graves that were previously lost.
“These graveyards are a visual reminder of our history,” she says.
She notes that a cemetery holding those who died before 1850 is likely to include enslaved people.
“I like the idea,” she says, of bringing about “understanding where there is none and contributing to collective experiences where people see the common ground that we have. That, to me, is one of the reasons worth living… if I’m contributing to society and doing something to better society.”
Many African American stories have yet to be discovered and told. For those interested in volunteering, Natalie suggests starting with a historical or genealogical society, local library, or courthouse. She puts aside any doubt, saying there is always something to be done. If you’re interested in contributing to the work of preserving African American grave sites, you can visit BlackCemeteryNetwork.org or contribute to the grave database at FindAGrave.com.
Natalie’s commitment to finding and sharing African American stories impacts our understanding of American history. Every gravestone documented, paper digitized, and story discovered makes a difference. Every effort helps to “Bless those souls so they would forever rest in peace and power for the life that they lived.”
Listen to Natalie’s podcast here.
