Overview and Historical Context
Historical Significance
Magnolia Cemetery in Helena holds profound historical significance as one of Arkansas’s oldest African American burial grounds, established before the Civil War. It was founded on land once segregated by the Evergreen Cemetery Company, and its west section became a central place for Black families to bury their loved ones, forming a unique record of Black life in Phillips County.
The cemetery is the resting place of numerous influential figures who shaped both Arkansas and national history, including W.H. Grey, one of Arkansas’s first Black legislators, Abraham and Eliza Miller, prominent entrepreneurs and philanthropists, Civil War veterans, blues musicians, journalists, and pioneering families. William H. Grey’s gravesite, marked by an impressive Masonic monument, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, reflecting the cemetery’s recognition as a heritage site.
Magnolia Cemetery also documents the hardships faced by African Americans through periods of segregation, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow, visible in handmade and elaborate markers that narrate intergenerational stories. Despite challenges from neglect, vandalism, and erosion—especially following outward migration during and after World War II—the cemetery endures as a testament to community resilience and self-determination, continually restored by local volunteers and the Magnolia Cemetery Association.
Interpretive panels and community preservation efforts today ensure the legacy of the individuals buried here and highlight the ongoing importance of documenting, protecting, and honoring this irreplaceable historic and cultural site.
Notable individuals buried in Magnolia Cemetery (legislators, business leaders, musicians)
Magnolia Cemetery is the final resting place for at least two African American legislators from the Reconstruction era. The cemetery features notable monuments, including that of W.H. Grey, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. The cemetery also contains headstones marked by unique African American fraternal and mutual aid society symbols, illustrating deep community traditions and networks. August | 2022 | Adventures in Cemetery Hopping
Often called “the cemetery west of the fence” or “the cemetery with the magnolia trees” eventually led to Magnolia’s current name. It became a place of identity and pride for the community. Despite decades of neglect, vandalism, and damage from natural forces, Magnolia Cemetery retains its historical integrity. Its markers document fraternal organizations, mutual aid societies, civil rights activity, and the lives of both prominent and everyday citizens. Some of the notable figures buried at Magnolia Cemetery are:
Political and Civic Leaders
William Henry Grey: A pioneering African American political figure during Reconstruction, he served in the Arkansas General Assembly, participated in the 1868 Constitutional Convention, and became the first Black man from Arkansas to address a national presidential nominating convention. His elaborate obelisk monument reflects his Masonic leadership and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Jacob N. Donohoo: Served four terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives, becoming one of its youngest Black members. He was also a farmer, businessman, lawyer, and federal revenue collector under Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt.
Tony (or Toney) Grissom: A Reconstruction-era legislator from Phillips County whose work contributed to early African American political participation in Arkansas.
Henderson B. Robinson: Held numerous roles including Assessor of Phillips County, superintendent of the state penitentiary, and notably, the first African American sheriff of Phillips County (1874–1878).
Moses “Mose” Proffitt: Served in the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War before returning to Helena to farm.
Dr. Robert Dan Miller: Elected the first Black mayor, his pioneering roles in healthcare and public health leadership contributed positively to Helena’s Black community by providing representation, inspiring trust in local governance, and helping address community needs more equitably.
Civil War Veterans and Community Leaders: Many other members of the U.S. Colored Troops and early Black civic leaders are buried here, reflecting the cemetery’s role as a resting place for pioneers of freedom and the Reconstruction era.
Abraham Miller: A successful businessman in Helena.
Eliza A. Miller: Remembered as a philanthropist and trailblazer for the Black community, she played a leading role in supporting education and social initiatives.
Arts and Culture
Robert Nighthawk (Robert McCollum): Legendary Delta blues slide guitarist and singer who recorded in the 1930s–1940s and influenced later Chicago blues styles. He remains one of the notable cultural figures interred at Magnolia Cemetery.
Nelma Lee Jackson (1923-1943): A waitress who died young, also has a homemade grave marker in Magnolia Cemetery, reflecting the personal histories within the cemetery.
Magnolia Cemetery Historical Summary
Comprehensive History of Magnolia Cemetery
Magnolia Cemetery stands as one of the oldest African American burial grounds in Phillips County, Arkansas, with roots stretching back before the Civil War. The land originally belonged to the Evergreen Cemetery Company and covered approximately 73 acres. This tract was divided along racial lines, reflecting the segregation of nineteenth-century society. The eastern section, lying east of a dividing fence, was reserved for white burials, while the western portion—about 36 acres—was designated for Black residents. Early residents referred to the site west of the fence as “the cemetery with the magnolia trees,” a name that soon became permanent: Magnolia Cemetery.
Before Magnolia Cemetery’s establishment, African Americans in the area relied on two burial places: the Old Grave Yard Hill and a newer burial area nearby. As the population grew and post–Civil War communities became more stable, the need for an organized, permanent cemetery for Black families became urgent. Oral histories suggest that this land served not only as a resting place for individuals but also as a cornerstone of the African American community’s social and spiritual fabric during the tumultuous Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras.
In April 1899, the Magnolia Cemetery Company formally purchased the western 36-acre portion of the Evergreen tract for $400 and received the deed to the property. Two years later, in May 1901, the company was incorporated as a nonprofit entity with a clear stipulation that it would never be managed or operated for personal profit. Governance was entrusted to a fifteen-member Board of Trustees empowered to draft by-laws, regulate cemetery operations, sell burial plots, and collect an annual maintenance assessment of no more than five dollars per lot. The constitution and bylaws were endorsed by twenty-three men, highlighting a strong sense of communal responsibility and self-determination among the county’s African American leadership at the time.
The board oversaw not only the sale and preservation of burial plots but also the enforcement of cemetery rules, which included provisions for fines or forfeiture of burial rights in cases of noncompliance. These measures reflected both the organizational sophistication and the deep respect the community held for the sacred resting place of their ancestors. For years, excellence in care and reverence for heritage ensured the cemetery remained a dignified and debt-free property—a rare achievement for a minority-maintained institution in the American South of the early 20th century.
As decades passed, however, management structures blurred. The distinction between the Magnolia Cemetery Company and the later Magnolia Cemetery Association became unclear. During this transitional period, the cemetery suffered neglect, vandalism, and natural deterioration. Many headstones were damaged, destroyed, or toppled. Erosion further compounded the harm, leaving family plots unmarked or displaced. Despite these hardships, longtime residents continued to visit and honor their loved ones, maintaining an emotional and cultural attachment to the site even as physical upkeep lagged.
By the mid-1980s, public concern had reached a tipping point. Frustrated by miscommunication between grave owners and the cemetery’s alleged caretakers, a concerned community member published a call to action in the local newspaper. On May 6, 1986, eighteen individuals met at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church at the corner of Holly and Jackson Streets in Helena, under the leadership of Reverend G. R. Mazique. The group discussed the crisis and resolved to create a new, accountable body to oversee the cemetery’s maintenance and rehabilitation. This meeting marked the birth of the Magnolia Cemetery Association.
Three weeks later, on May 26, Memorial Day, the newly formed Association adopted formal by-laws, establishing itself as the legal successor and caretaker of Magnolia Cemetery. The organization’s mission extended beyond maintenance—it sought to restore dignity, preserve history, and protect a vital symbol of the Black community’s endurance and unity. Through volunteer labor, fundraising, and advocacy, the Association became a model of grassroots heritage preservation.
Today, despite continued challenges such as erosion and vandalism, Magnolia Cemetery endures as a resilient monument to generations of African Americans in Phillips County. Its weathered stones commemorate not just individual lives but also a collective story of perseverance, faith, and community pride. Walking through the cemetery offers a journey through time—one where every inscription, however faint, contributes to the broader narrative of Black history in the American South.