Sacred Ground: The Battle for Mount Auburn Cemetery

Filmmaker David H. Butler's shocking documentary looks at the scandalous condition and subsequent battle to restore a historic cemetery in Baltimore. Founded in 1872 by the Methodist church and left to the care and management of Sharp Street Memorial Church—once an important institution for the black community but now a shadow of its former self—the Mount Auburn Cemetery was designed as a final (and for many years, only) resting place in the region for African-Americans to be buried with dignity. On the grounds are the remains of many freed slaves, civil rights luminaries, businessmen, a newspaper publisher, and sports figures going back more than a century. But Mount Auburn's 30 acres is largely a scene of devastation: the grounds are wildly overgrown, headstones are broken and collapsed, the area is sunk due to poor drainage, and the outlines of caskets are showing through dirt (most disturbingly, human bones are exposed and scattered among the weeds). Sacred Ground examines the reasons for this terrible disrepair, and the obstacles faced in trying to fix the situation, including money issues, property rights, and entrenched interests. Meanwhile, family members are frustrated that they can no longer pick out the graves of loved ones. By film's end in 2012, much progress has been made, but there is still a long way to go. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)