The Hartsville community observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday by gathering at Marion Avenue Cemetery to dedicate a new historical marker honoring the hundreds of African-Americans buried there. Some grave markers date back to the early 1800s, and include dozens of military veterans and some of Hartsville’s most notable citizens – like Rev. Henry H. Butler. Though the cemetery fell to neglect for decades, volunteers have worked since the 1990s to locate graves, identify those interred and clear brush and trees from the two-acre plot. Following the marker dedication, many guests walked to Jerusalem Baptist Church for songs, prayers and further celebration of King’s legacy.
Photos by Samantha Lyles
Lamar residents march early in the morning to honor MLK Day.
Photos by Bobby Bryant
