Every Stone a Story: Memorial Rock Painting Event at the City Cemetery

Join us on Sunday, May 17 between 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM in the Nashville City Cemetery. All materials provided.
In 2026, the Nashville City Cemetery Association (NCCA) launched the Nashville City Cemetery Enslaved Memorial Project to honor the memory of approximately three thousand enslaved men, women, and children who were buried in the Nashville City Cemetery between its founding on January 1, 1822, and the arrival of emancipation in Tennessee in 1865.

The memorial site will feature an engraved granite bench, interpretive engraved stone markers, and a memorial garden. At the heart of the project is the creation of about 1,500 small field stones, each uniquely decorated with the name of an enslaved person buried in the cemetery. Because interment records from 1822 to 1846 are missing, only those buried between 1846 and 1865 can be identified by name. NCCA hopes to honor each of these individuals with a dedicated fieldstone, ensuring their legacy endures.

Free parking is available. The City Cemetery is a Metro Nashville Public Park, open dawn to dusk, and handicap accessible. Donations appreciated. 100% of funds support the all-volunteer Nashville City Cemetery Association mission to beautify and preserve the site.

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Host or Publisher Nashville City Cemetery Association Inc