Eden Cemetery (Collingdale, Pennsylvania)

Eden Cemetery, located in Collingdale, Pennsylvania, is one of the oldest and largest African American cemeteries in the United States. Founded in 1902, it served as a final resting place for prominent African Americans who faced racial segregation in other cemeteries during the Jim Crow era.

Eden Cemetery is the burial site of numerous historical figures, including civil rights activists, artists, musicians, politicians, educators, and veterans. Notable individuals interred there include Octavius Catto, a 19th-century educator and civil rights leader; Marian Anderson, a renowned opera singer; and William Still, a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

The cemetery's significance extends beyond its notable interments. It represents a place of community, remembrance, and cultural heritage. Eden Cemetery provides a tangible link to the African American experience and serves as a valuable historical resource for researchers, educators, and the general public. Preservation efforts are ongoing to maintain the cemetery's grounds, protect its monuments, and further document the lives of those buried within its borders. The Eden Cemetery Association actively works to preserve and promote the cemetery's rich history and cultural significance.