Louisville Cemetery
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
Louisville Cemetery. Original 31 acres incorporated Mar. 23, 1886, by prominent black citizens Bishop W. H. Miles, H. C. Weeden, J. Meriwether, A. J. Bibb, W. P. Churchill, William H. Gibson, Sr., and Felix Johnson. Buried here are Dr. Robert B. Scott, cofounder of Louisville Red Cross Hospital; educator Atwood S. Wilson; blues guitarist Sylvester Weaver; and community activist Bessie Allen. (Reverse) William Walker, Sr. (1860-1933) - Born a slave in Woodford County, jockey William "Uncle Bill" Walker won 1877 Kentucky Derby on Baden-Baden. Churchill Downs' leading rider between 1875 and 1878, he retired from saddle in 1896. An expert on Thoroughbred pedigree in America, Walker was instrumental in developing modern racehorse. Presented by Louisville and Jefferson County African American Heritage Committee, Inc.
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
In 1886 a group of prominent Black Louisvillians—among them Bishop W. H. Miles—incorporated this 31-acre burial ground when segregation barred African Americans from many cemeteries. Its graves hold figures central to Black Louisville: a co-founder of Red Cross Hospital, educator Atwood S. Wilson, blues guitarist Sylvester Weaver, and jockey William "Uncle Bill" Walker, who won the 1877 Kentucky Derby and became a leading authority on Thoroughbred pedigree.
Why it matters
The cemetery is both a response to segregation and a gathering place of Black achievement, preserving the memory of leaders, artists, and athletes who shaped the wider American story.
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Related people
- · William "Uncle Bill" Walker
- · Sylvester Weaver
- · Bishop W. H. Miles
- · Atwood S. Wilson
Themes & tags
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