Unity Under the Togetherness Tree on Juneteenth Brings History, Faith and Families Together at New Trinity Cemetery.
DIGGING FOR DIGNITY:
Reclaiming the Names from Our Ancestors’ Remains
Unity Under the Togetherness Tree on Juneteenth Brings History, Faith and Families Together at the New Trinity Cemetery. CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/video/volunteers-work-to-document-black-history-at-haltom-city-cemetery/
By Black Texans, Inc.
HALTOM CITY, Texas — Beneath the shade of a historic pecan tree known as the Togetherness Tree, a remarkable gathering took place on Juneteenth weekend as volunteers, churches, veterans organizations, civic leaders and families united for what organizers believe is one of the largest cemetery documentation and preservation efforts ever conducted during a Juneteenth celebration.
The inaugural Digging for Dignity Juneteenth Find-A-Grave Legacy Project brought together community volunteers at Historic Fretwell Cemetery–New Trinity Cemetery within the People’s Memorial Burial Park with a mission that was both simple and profound:
To reclaim the names from our ancestors’ remains.
Armed with clipboards, maps, cell phones and cemetery records, volunteers spread across the historic grounds to locate, identify, document and upload information about those buried there using the Find-A-Grave platform. But as the day unfolded, participants discovered they were doing far more than documenting graves.
They were restoring memories.
They were reconnecting families.
They were reclaiming history.
The effort was led by Pastor Kyev P. Tatum Sr. and New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in partnership with Dr. Spencer Smith and volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together they brought people from diverse backgrounds, faith traditions and organizations together beneath the Togetherness Tree, creating what many described as a visible symbol of unity.
A circle of churches gathered beneath its branches.
Black and White congregations stood together.
Different denominations stood together.
Veterans, civic leaders, students and community volunteers stood together.
For a few hours on a warm June morning, history and hope occupied the same sacred space.
The location itself carries extraordinary significance.
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ETpvPJx8K/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Historic Fretwell Cemetery–New Trinity Cemetery was the first cemetery in Tarrant County—Black or White—to receive an Official Texas Historical Cemetery designation from the Texas Historical Commission. The designation recognizes the cemetery’s importance in preserving the history of generations of African-American pioneers, veterans, educators, clergy, business owners, homemakers and community leaders whose lives helped shape Fort Worth, Tarrant County and North Texas.
Yet many residents remain unaware of the cemetery’s historic distinction.
Within its grounds rest thousands of stories that tell of faith, perseverance, sacrifice and determination during a period when segregation often denied African Americans equal access to public institutions, including burial grounds.
The cemetery traces its origins to 1886, when Frances Fretwell and members of New Trinity Methodist Church secured land after her husband, Rev. Greene Fretwell, was denied burial in a white cemetery because of his race. In 1926, Baker Funeral Home expanded the burial grounds through the purchase of adjoining property, creating what would become known as the People’s Memorial Burial Park.
Together, the Fretwell and Baker families helped establish and preserve one of the most important African-American historic cemeteries in North Texas ( CBS News Stories, Matriarch Cookie Baker, https: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/video/volunteers-work-to-document-black-history-at-haltom-city-cemetery/).
Throughout the day, volunteers worked among the graves documenting names and recording stories. For many, the experience became deeply personal.
One of the most emotional moments occurred when Bishop Vernon L. James, pastor of Johnson Street Christ Holy Sanctified Church in Fort Worth, discovered the burial site of his grandmother along with several other relatives.
What began as a volunteer service project suddenly became a family reunion across generations.
Standing among the graves, Bishop James reconnected with family members whose resting places had been lost to memory over time.
His discovery became a powerful example of why the project matters.
For decades, families have searched for information about loved ones buried in historic African-American cemeteries. Many descendants never knew where their ancestors were buried. Others lacked photographs, records or historical documentation to guide them.
The Digging for Dignity initiative seeks to change that reality.
Using modern technology, genealogy research and community volunteerism, participants are creating a permanent digital record that will help future generations locate and learn about their ancestors.
Every grave documented represented more than a name on a screen.
It represented a life remembered.
A family restored.
A legacy reclaimed.
Throughout the day, the One Community Choir provided music as volunteers moved across the cemetery documenting graves and sharing stories. A gentle breeze passed through the branches of the Togetherness Tree while church leaders, veterans, families and community members reflected on the significance of the work taking place around them.
The event also included the presentation of the JustServe Heart of Service Award to Pastor Tatum by Dr. Spencer Smith and Beverly Blaylock of JustServe. The award recognizes extraordinary volunteer leadership and community service. Tatum accepted the honor on behalf of the Fretwell and Baker families whose stewardship preserved the cemetery and made the day’s work possible (https://youtu.be/jtTr5A1elmg?is=GOwPH510irOkp4EK).
Organizers believe the Digging for Dignity model could be replicated in historic African-American cemeteries and Freedmen’s cemeteries across the nation.
By combining faith, genealogy, technology, volunteerism and historical preservation, the initiative seeks to reconnect descendants with ancestors whose stories might otherwise remain forgotten.
“The goal is not simply to locate graves,” Tatum said. “The goal is to reconnect families, restore forgotten histories, preserve sacred ground and ensure that every life is remembered with dignity.”
As the day came to a close, volunteers gathered once again beneath the Togetherness Tree.
There, perhaps the greatest discovery was not found beneath a headstone.
It was found among the people.
Churches that had never worked together stood together.
Families discovered connections to their past.
Volunteers from different races, faiths and generations found common purpose.
And beneath the branches of a tree that has witnessed more than a century of history, a community demonstrated that honoring the dead can unite the living.
For organizers, Juneteenth 2026 marked more than a single day of service.
It marked the beginning of a movement.
A movement to reclaim names.
A movement to restore dignity.
A movement to reconnect families.
A movement to preserve history.
And a movement to ensure that the stories of those who came before us are never forgotten.
Because every grave has a name.
Every name has a story.
Every story has a family.
And every family deserves the opportunity to know where their ancestors rest.
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