31:
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that no one knew had been used. On May 24, 2011, a federal judge approved a plan to place the cemetery into a trust that would use about $ 2.6 million of a $ 7 million insurance settlement to renovate and run the cemetery. The judge set aside at least $ 50,000 for a memorial to honor those whose graves were lost or desecrated. Those who can prove they buried relatives in the cemetery will receive $ 100 per grave. Those whose relatives' graves were destroyed may apply for more money.
189:
Bank and the remainder raised by subscription. The new group was incorporated as the Burr Oak
Cemetery Association, and a suitable corpse was found in the morgue to legally dedicate the cemetery. Unfortunately, the Alsip townsfolk did not approve of a black cemetery next to the village and, "with the assistance of armed police", drove the burial party away. The burial party eventually returned, however, with a deputy sheriff (courtesy of
200:, the Burr Oak Cemetery Association defaulted on the mortgage. Dickerson again stepped in to help arrange for the black-owned Supreme Liberty Life Insurance company to buy the mortgage at roughly 10 cents to the dollar. The re-constituted Chicago Burr Oak Cemetery Association eventually paid off the mortgage. Dickerson later said that "saving that cemetery was one of the great achievements as a lawyer".
242:
A study of the records indicated that between 140,190 and 147,568 people were buried at Burr Oak. However, the cemetery has space for a maximum of 130,000 graves, and some areas appear never to have been used for burials. After burials resumed in
November 2009, some human remains were found in areas
238:
managing the cemetery had hoped to reopen it in
September, but on October 13, 2009, visiting families found the cemetery still closed, with no statement on when it would reopen. The sheriff's office set up a searchable database with photographs of most headstones. The cemetery records were in great
188:
of blacks from the South during the early decades of the 20th century. Stewart had located a possible site for the cemetery just outside the
Chicago city limits near Alsip, Illinois. The owners of the land ultimately sold 40 acres for $ 50,000, $ 40,000 of which was loaned by the Roosevelt State
217:
alleged that four workers at Burr Oak cemetery dug up more than 200 graves, dumped the bodies into unmarked mass graves, and resold the plots in a scheme that went back at least five years. The three men and one woman were charged with one count each of dismembering a human body. Two men were
582:"Four people face felony charges after authorities discovered that hundreds of graves were dug up and allegedly resold at a historic African-American cemetery near Chicago, Illinois, authorities said Thursday"
669:
184:, a prominent Chicago lawyer, to develop a cemetery that would meet the needs of the burgeoning African-American population in Chicago, a demographic change brought about by the
643:
849:
621:
591:
935:
773:
800:
991:
1049:
717:
180:
The origins of Burr Oak
Cemetery date back to when Ellis Stewart, secretary of the black-owned Supreme Liberty Life Insurance company, joined with
424:(1877–1957), African-American businesswoman, inventor and philanthropist. She was one of the first African-American women to become a millionaire.
436:(1900–1960), politician, one of the first African-Americans to serve as assistant attorney general for the State of Illinois, father of director
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1054:
871:
231:
86:
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845:
613:
581:
902:
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disarray, but the usable ones were computerized and turned over to the receiver for integration into the database.
808:
382:
691:
983:
79:
295:
164:. Established in 1927, Burr Oak was one of the few early Chicago cemeteries focused on the needs of the
894:
527:(1894–1980), early blues and jazz record producer and one of the first African-American players in the
415:
721:
1059:
890:
335:
518:
388:
338:(1892–1970), baseball player, star pre-Negro league baseball pitcher and barnstormer businessman.
487:(1941–1955), teenaged murder victim whose death helped galvanize the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.
830:
353:
311:
692:".: Burr Oak Cemetery :. Information Courtesy of Cook County Sheriff's Office (C) 2009"
427:
405:
8:
534:
447:
372:
360:
346:
344:(1917–1984) cremated remains, creator and scriptwriter of the Chicago-based radio series
193:
the
Republican state's attorney) and was successfully able to legally dedicate Burr Oak.
441:
392:
326:
before the US Supreme Court. Dickerson helped establish and preserve Burr Oak
Cemetery.
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30:
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The history section is referenced to: Blakely, Robert J. (with Marcus
Shepard).
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community, it is the final resting place of many black celebrities, including
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145:
101:
88:
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Photograph of the side entrance to Burr Oak
Cemetery on 127th Street, 2009
1016:, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 50996–50997). McFarland & Company, Inc.
484:
479:
404:
Inman "Big Jack" Jackson (1907–1973), basketball player, player with the
227:
1012:
Acacia Lawn, Burr Oak
Cemetery, Alsip (sw Chicago), IL., Wilson, Scott.
718:"Burr Oak families still locked out; lawyers survey desecrated cemetery"
490:
457:
301:
391:(1895–1946), businessman and political activist, father of playwright
571:. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 2006, pp. 54–56.
496:
320:(1891–1986), attorney and community activist who successfully argued
695:
1014:
Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons
919:
Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons
414:(1907–1969), Gospel music singer, pianist, composer and founder of
214:
921:, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Location 22179). McFarland & Company, Inc.
515:(1969–2005), journalist reporting on AIDS among African-Americans.
1029:
801:"4 charged in scheme to dig up bodies in historic black cemetery"
500:
226:
Because of the investigation, the entire cemetery was declared a
130:
835:, Chicago, Illinois: Northwestern University Press. pp. 54–56.
352:
Jodie Edwards (1895–1967), comedian, member of the comedy duo
278:(1905–1973), one of the first African-American players in the
735:
218:
convicted and sentenced to six and three year prison terms.
586:
528:
430:(1903–1977), blues vocalist and songwriter ("Goin' Down")
279:
234:
and temporarily closed to the public. The court-assigned
509:(1924–1963), singer, known as the "Queen of the Blues".
493:(given name Otha Lee Moore) (1930–1964), R&B singer
401:(1921–1981), American musician, blues harmonica player.
472:(1884–1948), Negro league baseball player and manager.
288:(1888–1942), professional Negro League baseball player
961:. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. pp. 45–46.
363:(1925–2019), Baptist pastor & civil rights leader
984:"Giving Proper Gravestones to Negro Leagues Players"
832:
Earl B. Dickerson: A Voice for Freedom and Equality
569:
Earl B. Dickerson: A Voice for Freedom and Equality
1036:
917:Restvale Cemetery, Alsip, IL., Wilson, Scott.
478:(1921–2003), activist, educator and mother of
614:"New estimate on cemetery bodies: 200 to 300"
956:
884:
662:"Cemetery shut down, declared a crime scene"
499:(1903–1944), Negro league baseball player,
766:"Burr Oak Cemetery turned over to trustee"
644:"Burr Oak Cemetery scandal one year later"
16:Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, United States
385:(1878–1962), professional baseball player
172:musicians, athletes, and other notables.
1050:African-American cemeteries in Illinois
981:
160:, United States, a suburb southwest of
1037:
870:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
852:from the original on December 22, 2023
304:(1925–2006), musician, jazz trumpeter.
213:On July 11, 2009, Cook County Sheriff
994:from the original on November 7, 2017
957:Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013).
885:Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013).
795:
793:
791:
776:from the original on October 11, 2012
746:from the original on February 3, 2009
521:(1910–1972), African–American singer.
332:(1915–1992), musician and songwriter.
938:from the original on August 15, 2021
878:
1065:Cemeteries established in the 1920s
1055:Cemeteries in Cook County, Illinois
379:and ragtime pianist and songwriter.
13:
788:
672:from the original on July 19, 2009
624:from the original on July 12, 2009
594:from the original on July 10, 2009
256:(1942–1998), singer and songwriter
246:
14:
1076:
1023:
264:Moorish Science Temple of America
549:List of United States cemeteries
221:
29:
1045:1927 establishments in Illinois
1030:Official Burr Oak Cemetery site
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537:(1913–1967), basketball player
1:
959:Blues – A Regional Experience
887:Blues – A Regional Experience
554:
450:(1954–2014), lead singer of
262:(1886–1929), founder of the
232:Cook County Sheriff's Office
7:
982:Schwarz, Alan (July 2010).
736:"U.S. News – National News"
542:
470:James A. "Candy Jim" Taylor
460:(1930–1970), blues pianist.
369:(1937–2004), jazz musician.
296:heavyweight boxing champion
208:
10:
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416:The Roberta Martin Singers
383:Charles Albert "Joe" Green
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891:Santa Barbara, California
466:(1953–2015), blues singer
156:is a cemetery located in
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497:Ted "High-pockets" Trent
440:and uncle of playwright
829:Blakely, Robert (2006)
389:Carl Augustus Hansberry
375:(1897–1933), musician,
121:150-acre (0.61 km)
310:(1910–1993), All-Star
272:(1901–1968), musician.
811:on September 12, 2016
354:Butterbeans and Susie
312:Negro league baseball
270:James "Kokomo" Arnold
102:41.66250°N 87.72972°W
724:on October 28, 2009.
428:St. Louis Jimmy Oden
406:Harlem Globetrotters
618:Chicagobreakingnews
373:Blind Leroy Garnett
347:Destination Freedom
302:George "Sonny" Cohn
294:(1921–1975), world
107:41.66250; -87.72972
98: /
988:The New York Times
895:Praeger Publishers
535:Edward "Pep" Young
442:Lorraine Hansberry
393:Lorraine Hansberry
308:Jimmie Crutchfield
276:Harold Bradley Sr.
131:theburroakcemetery
968:978-0-313-34423-7
805:Thedailyvoice.com
698:on August 3, 2009
650:on July 16, 2010.
476:Mamie Till-Mobley
399:Big Walter Horton
318:Earl B. Dickerson
182:Earl B. Dickerson
162:Chicago, Illinois
154:Burr Oak Cemetery
151:
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146:Burr Oak Cemetery
24:Burr Oak Cemetery
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525:J. Mayo Williams
507:Dinah Washington
438:Shauneille Perry
323:Hansberry v. Lee
198:Great Depression
166:African-American
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191:Robert E. Crowe
186:great migration
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158:Alsip, Illinois
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770:Suntimes.com
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204:2009 scandal
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141:Find a Grave
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485:Emmett Till
480:Emmett Till
228:crime scene
196:During the
105: /
80:Coordinates
50:Established
1039:Categories
942:August 15,
815:August 23,
780:August 23,
750:August 23,
676:August 23,
555:References
491:Tiny Topsy
458:Otis Spann
448:Frank Reed
361:Clay Evans
93:87°43′47″W
90:41°39′45″N
359:Rev. Dr.
992:Archived
936:Archived
866:cite web
850:Archived
774:Archived
744:Archived
740:ABC News
670:Archived
628:July 10,
622:Archived
598:July 10,
592:Archived
543:See also
236:receiver
215:Tom Dart
209:Incident
58:Location
998:May 31,
501:pitcher
314:player.
230:by the
176:History
126:Website
71:Country
45:Details
965:
901:
1000:2022
963:ISBN
944:2021
899:ISBN
872:link
858:2023
817:2018
782:2018
752:2018
704:2009
678:2018
630:2009
600:2009
133:.com
118:Size
53:1927
587:CNN
529:NFL
280:NFL
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
