GULFPORT, Fla. — Volunteers spent time Saturday cleaning up Lincoln Cemetery in Gulfport.

The cleanups are held every month by the Lincoln Cemetery Society.

The cemetery opened in 1926 but some of the graves date back to the 1800s. Thousands of African Americans were buried there during the segregation era. Currently, there are about 7,000 people buried there, but about 4,000 do not have headstones or markers. 

This is a mission that’s important to community members and family members of the people buried there. The monthly clean ups are part of their effort to preserve the historic cemetery. 

“If we don’t preserve it and protect it, it’s bound to get lost and forgotten. And I want to make sure that doesn’t happen because it’s too important,” said Corey Givens Jr., a volunteer who found his aunt’s grave marker while cleaning Saturday. 

Dr. Basha Jordan Jr. visits Lincoln Cemetery weekly. His grandfather, Elder Jordan, is buried there. 

“To have come out of slavery and to have built the type of legacy that he has, it shows the strength of African Americans,” said Jordan. 

Jordan says his grandfather spent years helping to improve the city of St. Petersburg. In 1925 he built The Jordan Dance Hall which is now the Manhattan Casino. 

“It was a place where African Americans could go. Of course it was at the time of deep segregation,” said Jordan. 

Elder Jordan also donated land to the city for housing to be built for African Americans. Jordan Park was named after him. He also helped establish Jordan Park Elementary. 

Basha Jordan Jr. is now involved in helping to preserve the cemetery where his grandfather and other family members are laid to rest. 

“It’s going to take a collective, communal focus and unification  not only to get it to where it needs to be, but to maintain it,” said Jordan. 

The cemetery hosts the cleanups every month. To get involved click here.