JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson State University’s (JSU) efforts to preserve one of Mississippi’s most significant African American cemeteries earned statewide recognition.
The university’s Mt. Olive Cemetery community engagement project received an Award of Merit for Rehabilitation during the Mississippi Heritage Awards ceremony on June 4, 2026, in Brookhaven.
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The project focused on restoring and stabilizing the historic cemetery, including repairs to 46 brick mausoleums and more than 260 markers. Preservation work included cleaning, masonry repairs, repointing and structural stabilization to help protect the site for future generations.
“Receiving the Award of Merit for Rehabilitation for our work at Mt. Olive Cemetery is an honor that highlights Jackson State University’s sacred responsibility as a caretaker of history,” JSU President Denise Jones Gregory said.
The cemetery is the final resting place for an estimated 1,400 people, including community leaders connected to Mississippi’s Reconstruction era, the Civil Rights Movement and the history of JSU…