Student volunteers help with upkeep of Henrico's Woodland Cemetery

Nearly 230 student volunteers from Steward School, St. Christopher’s School and St. Catherine's School have spent time this year assisting with upkeep efforts at Henrico’s Woodland Cemetery, according to John Shuck, a member of the Woodland Restoration Foundation and the cemetery's volunteer coordinator.

Students from St. Catherine’s have visited three times, while those from Steward and St. Christopher’s have visited once apiece to help maintain the appearances of the historic Black cemetery located just east of the Highland Park neighborhood. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places earlier this year and is regarded as the second-largest Black cemetery in the area, smaller than only Evergreen Cemetery (also in Henrico), which sits less than four miles to the southeast.

Students from VCU and the University of Richmond also visit the cemetery regularly to assist, Shuck told the Citizen.

“Other than one church group, so far this year all of our volunteer groups have been students,” he said. “We greatly appreciate the work they do, and some of them really get excited about helping.

Woodland Cemetery was designed and founded by Richmond Planet editor John Mitchell, Jr., shaped like an arrowhead pointing north to recall the direction Black slaves looked for freedom.

Among the notable people buried there: famed tennis great and Richmond native Arthur Ashe, and Sixth Mt. Zion Baptist Church founder John Jasper.