Cold Cold Ground

This 13 year-old boy, who shares a birthday with my father, is buried in the children’s section of Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia. “None knew him but to love him.”

Photographed by Passante.

New Orleans’ legendary Marie Laveau was born in the late 18th century, perhaps the illegitimate daughter of the rich plantation owner Charles Laveaux and his half black, half Indian mistress. Marie became a high priestess of Voodoo, a religion whose beliefs were not — contrary to the way it is portrayed by Hollywood — incompatible with Roman Catholic Christianity. Marie was a frequent visitor to the sick in the prisons of New Orleans.

The city of New Orleans plays up the mystical side of Marie Laveau, the stories of her spells and charms, the accounts of her dancing with her large snake Zombi. Marie was said to possess perpetual youth, but the truth is that she had a daughter who closely resembled her and carried on the tradition by becoming a Voodoo high priestess after her mother had retired.

This is said to be the grave of Marie Laveau in St Louis Cemetery No. 1.

Words and image by Passante. Photographed in 1998.

Freedmen’s Cemetery was one of the first cemeteries established in Alexandria for African Americans. In the beginning, black Civil War soldiers and indigent freed persons were buried there. Find out more at the Freedmen’s Cemetery website.

Over time, the Freedmen’s Cemetery was largely forgotten. With development, it was ultimately paved over. This is what the site of the Freedmen’s Cemetery looks like today. It’s located under the parking lot of this gas station and an adjacent office building.

The Friends of Freedmen’s Cemetery, a nonprofit organization, is working towards the restoration of this historic site. As part of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge construction, the Alexandria City Council recently voted to acquire the commercial properties as part of the Wilson Bridge mitigation. Thus, the site may in the future be restored and dedicated as a memorial park.

Ma = Mildred, and Pa = Adam. As for Peter and Mother, who knows. Two members of the family were apparently interested in Scrabble or crossword puzzles.

Words and image by Passante. Photographed in St. Louis No. 1 Cemetery, New Orleans, LA, in 1998.

The U.S. Civil War was the war in which sometimes brother fought against brother. At the end of Wilkes Street is Alexandria National Cemetery. It covers five and a half acres and is the final resting place of nearly 3,600 Civil War Union soldiers.

Arlington National Cemetery: a sea of graves.

Words and image by Passante.

This larger than life sized angel watches over someone at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Alexandria, VA.

I have a particular feeling of sadness for Martha Lucille, who is buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Alexandria, VA. She and I were born in the same year and her life ended a few days after her 16th birthday, when my whole life was ahead of me. A Martha Gravatte is recorded in the Social Security death index as being born in September 1887 and dying in March 1979 in the District of Columbia. My guess is that she was little Martha’s grandmother.

Words and image by Passante.

A Washington, DC, firefighter lies at rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Alexandria, VA.

A New Orleans firefighter is buried in this grave in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.

Words and image by Passante. Photographed in 1998.