Black Nashville in History & Memory

Credit: Tennessee State Library & Archives

(Far Right) Reverend Preston Taylor's monument near the entrance of Greenwood Cemetery Credit: African American History & Genealogical Society

Greenwood Park was a 40 acre amusement park and green space built for and by African American predates Hadley Park. Greenwood Cemetery is the only remaining part of the original park.

Greenwood Recreational Park included a ball park, swimming pool, amusements, and picnic facilities. The park served as the site of the Negro state fair and Boy Scout summer camp. Greenwood preceded the city's public park for Blacks by 7 years and remained opened until 1949.

Greenwood Cemetery has served as the final resting place for many of Nashville’s African-American community members for more than 120 years. In 1887, Preston purchased thirty-seven acres of land near “Buttermilk Ridge” at Elm Hill Road and Spence Lane on which he established the Greenwood Cemetery in 1888.  Preston, along with three other gentlemen, had planned to purchase this land together for $30,000. Preston was the only one who followed through on the transaction. His purpose was to mainly provide first class burial space that would be available at minimal cost for the African American population of Nashville, in particular, and for the surrounding communities.  In his Will he deeded the cemetery to the National Christian Missionary Convention of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), it remains, yet today, a non-profit establishment. 

Credit: Tennessee State Library & Archives

• DeFord Bailey
• Arna Wendell Bontemps
• Adolphus Anthony "Doc" Cheatham
• Joseph Gilliam
• Marshall Keeble
• Rev. Felix Early Lewis
• John Ayers Merritt
• Mary Lena Tate
• Rev. Preston Taylor
• Dr. George Henry Bandy (Meharry)
• Dr. Walter Strother Davis (TSU)
• Rev. Nelson G. Merry
• Dr. Lloyd C. Elam (Meharry)

To visit more individuals resting at the cemetery please visit findagrave.com. Please keep in mind that this list is not a definitive list of all persons interred at the cemetery-only what has been recorded so far via the Greenwood Project an extension of the African American History and Genealogical Society of Nashville.