Are there slaves buried in Arlington National Cemetery?

Nearly 3,800 "citizens" or "contrabands" (former slaves who were living in government facilities and settlements in the Washington, D.C. region) are interred in Section 27. Citizen or civilian is inscribed on their headstones.

Who was the first black person buried in Arlington Cemetery?

James Parks (1843-1929) The first graves at Arlington National Cemetery were dug by James Parks, who was born enslaved on the Custis-Lee plantation in 1843 and spent his entire life living and working on the Arlington property.

Were there slaves in Arlington?

Over the 60 years leading up to the Civil War, Arlington House was home to at least 100 enslaved African Americans who lived and labored on the estate.

How many black people are buried at Arlington National Cemetery?

There are more than 1,500 black soldiers and sailors buried here, their graves indicated by U.S.C.T.

Are there any black soldiers buried at Arlington?

Over sixteen-thousand Civil War soldiers are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Among these are many U.S. Colored Troops (the U.S. government designation for African-Americans who served in segregated U.S. Army regiments during the war) buried in sections 27 and 23.

Freed slaves buried in Arlington National Cemetery

How many former slaves are buried in Arlington Cemetery?

Nearly 3,800 "citizens" or "contrabands" (former slaves who were living in government facilities and settlements in the Washington, D.C. region) are interred in Section 27.

Who is the most famous person buried in Arlington National Cemetery?

JOHN F.

Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington. Each year millions of people visit the gravesite of the 35th President marked by an eternal flame.

Are wives buried in Arlington Cemetery?

—The remains of the following individuals may be buried in Arlington National Cemetery: ''(1) The spouse, surviving spouse, minor child, and, at the discretion of the Superintendent, unmarried adult child of a person listed in subsection (a), but only if buried in the same gravesite as that person.

How much does it cost to be buried at Arlington?

Arlington National Cemetery does not charge fees for an interment or inurnment at the cemetery. The only potential costs to the estate of the deceased are for vaults.

How long is the wait for burial at Arlington?

For cremated remains, wait times average between nine and eleven months for a service requiring military funeral honors with funeral escort, and up to seven to eight months for a military funeral honors service without funeral escort, or for a dependent honors service.

Who is buried in front of Arlington House?

At the front of the house is the tomb of Pierre L'Enfant, the man who designed Washington D. C. L'Enfant was originally buried on Digges Farm in Prince Georges County, Maryland, when he died in 1825. Because he fought in the American Revolution, he was reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery in 1909.

Was Arlington Cemetery a plantation?

The estate was a working plantation, and the mansion, called Arlington House, was built by enslaved African Americans. George Washington Parke Custis and his wife, Mary Lee Fitzhugh, lived at Arlington House until their deaths in 1857 and 1853, respectively.

Who owned the plantation that is now Arlington National Cemetery?

Arlington National Cemetery is built on plantation land that once belonged to George Washington Parke Custis. Custis was the grandson of Martha Washington and the step-grandson of President George Washington.

What is the most visited grave in Arlington Cemetery?

While President Kennedy's eternal flame and the Tomb of the Unknowns are the most visited destinations within the 624-acre site, here are 12 other Arlington Cemetery notable graves.

How many bodies are in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

At Arlington National Cemetery, there are individual Civil War unknown burials as well as the remains of 2,111 Union and Confederate soldiers buried beneath the Tomb of the Civil War Unknowns.

Why are Confederates buried at Arlington?

Meanwhile, the United Confederate Veterans (UCV) identified Confederate graves around the Washington, D.C. area and successfully petitioned the government to have those remains transferred to Arlington. On June 6, 1900, Congress appropriated $2,500 for the removal and reinterment of Confederate remains.

What are the three requirements to be buried at Arlington cemetery?

Soldiers who die while on active duty, retired members of the Armed Forces, and certain Veterans and Family members are eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

What are the three requirements to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery?

Eligibility for in-ground burial at Arlington National Cemetery is the most stringent of all U.S. national cemeteries. However, most veterans who have at least one day of active service (other than for training) and an honorable discharge are eligible for above-ground inurnment.

Who qualifies to be buried in Arlington?

Due to limited space, only honorably discharged members in certain categories are eligible for burial in Arlington National Cemetery, this includes: Members who died on active duty and their immediate family. Retirees and their immediate family. Recipients of the Purple Heart, or Silver Star and above.

Who was the first woman buried in a national cemetery?

Mary Randolph -- First person buried on grounds that became Arlington Cemetery, cousin of Mary Custis, wife of Gen. Robert E. Lee, wrote The Virginia Housewife, a best seller in late 1700s .

Is the husband buried on the left or right?

Typically, the husband is buried on the left, whereas the wife should be on the right, as you're standing at their feet. The position isn't ordinary, and it's the same that couples have while they're getting married. In some cemeteries, the tradition hasn't disappeared, and it's the most common for couples.

Can two spouses be buried at Arlington?

Yes, spouses, surviving spouses (when they die), and minor or permanently dependent children may be buried at Arlington.

Is Jackie Kennedy buried in Arlington?

Location. Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, next to her first husband, John F. Kennedy. The two lie side-by-side within the Kennedy Monument in Section 45 of the historical landmark.

Who is buried next to JFK in Arlington?

President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and two Kennedy infants are interred in Lot 45, Section 30, Arlington National Cemetery. The permanent graves are located about 20 feet east of the site where the President was temporarily interred on 25 November 1963.

Does the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier have a body in it?

Meaning. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier serves as a symbolic grave for all war dead whose remains have not been found or identified. The Tomb began with one unknown service member from World War I, and today is the grave of three unidentified service members.